60-second revision
- Homonyms are words with the same spelling or sound but different meanings: bank (river) and bank (money).
- Homophones sound alike but are spelt differently: pair and pear, right and write.
- Homographs are spelt alike but may sound different: lead (to guide) and lead (the metal).
- Affect is usually a verb (to influence); effect is usually a noun (a result).
- Stationery with an e is paper and pens; stationary with an a means standing still.
- Eminent means distinguished; imminent means about to happen.
- Discreet means tactful and careful; discrete means separate.
- Decide what the blank needs (noun or verb, person or thing) before choosing a word.
Three terms you should know
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Homonym | same spelling or sound, different meaning (the umbrella term) | bank (side of a river) / bank (keeps money) |
| Homophone | same sound, different spelling and meaning | pair / pear, right / write, sole / soul |
| Homograph | same spelling, may differ in sound and meaning | lead (guide) / lead (metal); tear (cry) / tear (rip) |
SSC CHSL lists 'Homonyms' in its syllabus, but the questions usually test a wider family: sound-alike and look-alike words that are easy to confuse. A question gives a sentence with a blank and four similar words, or asks in which sentence a word carries a stated meaning.
How to attack these questions
- Read the full sentence and decide what the blank needs: a noun, a verb, an adjective? A person or a thing?
- Put each option into a short phrase of your own: 'legal counsel', 'city council', 'a stationary car'.
- Use spelling clues and memory hooks (below) to separate the twins.
- Remember that every option is usually a real word. The question is not 'is this a word?' but 'does it fit here?'
High-frequency confusable pairs
| Pair | Meanings | Example |
|---|---|---|
| accept / except | accept: to receive or agree; except: leaving out | She accepted every offer except one. |
| access / excess | access: a way in; excess: more than needed | Students have access to the lab. Avoid an excess of sugar. |
| adapt / adopt | adapt: to adjust; adopt: to take up as one's own | Plants adapt to deserts. The firm adopted a new policy. |
| affect / effect | affect (v): influence; effect (n): result; effect (v): bring about | Smoke affects the lungs. The effect was serious. |
| allusion / illusion | allusion: an indirect reference; illusion: a false impression | The speech made an allusion to the epics. A mirage is an illusion. |
| beside / besides | beside: next to; besides: in addition to | Sit beside me. Besides maths, he teaches physics. |
| breath / breathe | breath (n): air taken in; breathe (v): to take in air | Take a deep breath. Breathe slowly. |
| canvas / canvass | canvas: heavy cloth; canvass: to seek votes or opinions | a canvas bag; canvass the voters |
| cite / site / sight | cite: to quote; site: a place; sight: vision or a view | Cite the source. A building site. A lovely sight. |
| complement / compliment | complement: something that completes; compliment: praise | The chutney complements the dosa. She paid him a compliment. |
| continual / continuous | continual: repeated with breaks; continuous: without a break | continual interruptions; a continuous hum |
| council / counsel | council: an elected body; counsel: advice, or a lawyer | the municipal council; the counsel for the defence |
| credible / credulous | credible: believable; credulous: too ready to believe | a credible witness; a credulous buyer |
| desert / dessert | desert: dry land, or to abandon; dessert: sweet dish | the Thar desert; kheer for dessert |
| discreet / discrete | discreet: tactful, careful; discrete: separate | a discreet inquiry; discrete steps |
| economic / economical | economic: of the economy; economical: thrifty | economic growth; an economical car |
| elicit / illicit | elicit: to draw out; illicit: illegal | elicit a reply; illicit liquor |
| emigrant / immigrant | emigrant: one who leaves a country; immigrant: one who comes in | Emigrants leave; immigrants arrive. |
| eminent / imminent | eminent: famous, distinguished; imminent: about to happen | an eminent scientist; imminent danger |
| ingenious / ingenuous | ingenious: clever, inventive; ingenuous: innocent, frank | an ingenious device; an ingenuous child |
| judicial / judicious | judicial: of courts and judges; judicious: wise | judicial review; a judicious choice |
| loose / lose | loose: not tight; lose: to be unable to find, or to be defeated | a loose shirt; do not lose the key |
| personal / personnel | personal: private; personnel: staff of an organisation | a personal matter; army personnel |
| precede / proceed | precede: to come before; proceed: to go forward | Lightning precedes thunder. Proceed to gate 4. |
| prescribe / proscribe | prescribe: to recommend or order; proscribe: to forbid | The doctor prescribed rest. The group was proscribed. |
| principal / principle | principal: head, or main; principle: a rule or belief | the principal reason; a man of principle |
| stationary / stationery | stationary: not moving; stationery: writing materials | a stationary train; a stationery shop |
| venal / venial | venal: open to bribery; venial: minor, pardonable | a venal official; a venial error |
One word, several meanings
Some questions give one word and ask in which sentence it carries a stated meaning. These are true homonyms; decide the meaning from the words around it.
| Word | Meanings |
|---|---|
| bank | edge of a river; place that keeps money; to rely on (bank on) |
| bat | flying mammal; the stick used in cricket; to blink (not bat an eyelid) |
| fair | just; light in colour; a market or exhibition |
| lead | to guide (rhymes with seed); a heavy metal (rhymes with bed) |
| minute | sixty seconds; very small (pronounced my-NYOOT) |
| row | a line; to move a boat with oars; a noisy quarrel (rhymes with cow) |
| present | now existing; a gift; to show or give formally |
| mean | to signify; unkind or stingy; the average |
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