Homonyms and Confusable Words Quiz: English Vocabulary Practice
10 questions on homonyms, homophones and look-alike words such as affect/effect, principal/principle and stationary/stationery.
Homonyms and Confusable Words Quiz: English Vocabulary Practice
Tip: use keys 1-4 to answer, Enter for next.
Answers to the starter quiz
Spoilers! These are the Starter quiz’s answers. Easy, Medium, Hard and Mixed rounds show their own answers when you finish.
Choose the correct word: The new policy will ____ thousands of small traders.
- affect
- effect
- infect
- defect
Answer: affect. Affect is usually a verb meaning to influence. Effect is usually a noun meaning a result.
Choose the correct word: The school ____ addressed the students at the assembly.
- principle
- prince
- principal
- principled
Answer: principal. Principal means the head of a school (or main). Principle means a rule or belief.
Choose the correct word: The shop sells pens, files and other ____.
- stationary
- stations
- stationer
- stationery
Answer: stationery. Stationery, with an e, means writing materials. Stationary, with an a, means not moving. A stationer is the seller.
Choose the correct word: Her blue scarf is a perfect ____ to the grey coat.
- complement
- compliment
- supplement
- implement
Answer: complement. A complement completes or goes well with something. A compliment is praise.
Choose the correct word: The lawyer told her client to seek proper ____ before signing.
- council
- counsel
- consul
- console
Answer: counsel. Counsel means advice (or a lawyer). A council is an elected body; a consul is a government's representative in a foreign city.
Choose the correct word: Dark clouds warned us that a storm was ____.
- eminent
- immanent
- imminent
- prominent
Answer: imminent. Imminent means about to happen. Eminent means famous and respected; immanent means existing within.
Choose the correct word: The raid exposed an ____ trade in rare birds.
- elicit
- explicit
- illegible
- illicit
Answer: illicit. Illicit means illegal or forbidden. Elicit is a verb meaning to draw out a reply or reaction.
Choose the correct word: The officer was ____ about the employee's illness and told no one.
- discrete
- discreet
- distinct
- discerning
Answer: discreet. Discreet means careful not to reveal private matters. Discrete means separate and distinct.
Choose the correct word: Party workers went from door to door to ____ for votes.
- canvass
- canvas
- convince
- convey
Answer: canvass. Canvass, with a double s, means to ask people for votes or opinions. Canvas is a strong cloth.
In which sentence does 'bear' mean 'tolerate'?
- A bear was spotted near the dam.
- The trees bear fruit in May.
- Bear left at the next crossing.
- I cannot bear the noise of the generator.
Answer: I cannot bear the noise of the generator.. Bear has several meanings: an animal, to produce (bear fruit), to turn (bear left) and to tolerate (cannot bear the noise).
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