English Language MCQ practice free online · page 746

Correct option: A — The poem was written in a crypt style no one could decipher.

The poem was written in a crypt style no one could decipher. In the given sentence, the word “crypt” refers to an underground chamber used for burial. In Option (a), the word “crypt” is used in a different sense, implying something secret or hidden in meaning. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

Correct option: D — The sailors spotted the sound of the bay as the fog lifted.

The sailors spotted the sound of the bay as the fog lifted. In the question, ‘sound’ means something that we hear or the vibrations travelling through the air that can be heard. In option (d), ‘sound’ means a narrow stretch of water connecting two larger bodies of water. Hence, option (d) has the homonym of the given word.

Correct option: C — The investor held a large stake in the new company’s future.

The investor held a large stake in the new company’s future. In the question, ‘stake’ means a post driven into the ground. While in option (c), ‘stake’ means a financial share or interest. Hence, option (c) contains the most appropriate homonym of the highlighted word.

Correct option: B — The old painter described his cluttered studio as a moraine of forgotten dreams.

The old painter described his cluttered studio as a moraine of forgotten dreams. In the question, ‘moraine’ means a mass of rocks and sediment carried and deposited by a glacier. In option (b), it is used figuratively to mean a confused heap or accumulation. Thus, the same word has different meanings. Hence, option (b) contains the homonym of the given word.

Correct option: A — His fiery temper made collaboration almost impossible.

His fiery temper made collaboration almost impossible. In the given sentence, “temper of the steel” means the hardness or toughness produced by heating and cooling metal. In option (a), “fiery temper” means anger or mood, which is a different meaning of the same word. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

Correct option: A — The cathedral choir rehearsed a complex canon for the Easter service.

The cathedral choir rehearsed a complex canon for the Easter service. In the question, ‘canon’ means rules and principles or authoritative writings, while in option (a), it means a piece of music in which voices enter successively at fixed intervals. Hence, option (a) contains the homonym of the given word.

Correct option: B — He continued to hew to his principles even under political pressure.

He continued to hew to his principles even under political pressure. In the given sentence, “hew” means to cut or make a path through something using a tool like a sword or axe. In option (b), “hew” is used as a homonym with a different meaning, to adhere or conform strictly to something (like rules or principles). Hence, option (b) is the most appropriate answer.

Correct option: C — The evening gloom cast a pall over the once-cheerful village.

The evening gloom cast a pall over the once-cheerful village. In the question, ‘pall’ refers to a cloth spread over a coffin or casket during funeral ceremonies. In option (c), ‘pall’ means a feeling or atmosphere of gloom, sorrow, or despondency. The word shares identical spelling but conveys a different meaning. Hence, option (c) contains the homonym of the given word.

Correct option: A — The damp basement began to develop green mould on the walls.

The damp basement began to develop green mould on the walls. In the given sentence, “mould” means a hollow container used to give shape to molten or soft material. In option (a), “mould” is used to mean a fungus that grows in damp conditions, which is a homonym of the original word (same spelling, different meaning). Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.

Correct option: A — The gardener found a mole burrowing under the soil.

The gardener found a mole burrowing under the soil. The word “mole” refers to a scientific unit of measurement in chemistry. In option (a), mole refers to a small burrowing animal, which has the same spelling but a different meaning, making it a homonym. Hence, option (a) is the most appropriate answer.