📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. Homonym, Homophone, Homograph
| Type | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Homonym | Same spelling and sound, different meaning | bank (river bank / money bank), bat, bear, fair, match |
| Homophone | Same sound, different spelling and meaning | their / there, principal / principle, flour / flower |
| Homograph | Same spelling, different pronunciation and meaning | lead (lɛd metal / liːd guide), tear, wind, bow, minute |
In SSC, "homonym" questions are mostly fill-in-the-blanks: pick the right word from two or three look-alikes. Choose by the meaning of the sentence and the part of speech (noun/verb/adjective).
📌 2. 40 high-frequency confusable pairs
| Word 1 | Word 2 | Difference / trick |
|---|---|---|
| accept (to receive / agree) | except (apart from) | verb vs preposition |
| affect (to influence (verb)) | effect (result (noun)) | A = Action (verb), E = End result (noun) |
| advice (suggestion (noun)) | advise (to suggest (verb)) | -ice noun, -ise verb |
| altar (table used in worship) | alter (to change) | — |
| berth (seat/bed on a train) | birth (being born) | — |
| breath (air taken in (noun)) | breathe (to take in air (verb)) | — |
| cite (to quote) | site / sight (place / vision) | — |
| complement (that which completes) | compliment (praise) | — |
| council (elected body) | counsel (advice; lawyer) | — |
| desert (dry region; to abandon) | dessert (sweet dish) | dessert has double s = sweet stuff |
| dual (double) | duel (fight between two) | — |
| elicit (to draw out) | illicit (illegal) | — |
| eminent (famous) | imminent (about to happen) | — |
| hoard (to store secretly) | horde (large crowd) | — |
| lose (to misplace) | loose (not tight) | — |
| personal (private) | personnel (staff) | — |
| plain (flat land; simple) | plane (aircraft; flat surface) | — |
| precede (to come before) | proceed (to go on) | — |
| principal (head; main) | principle (rule / belief) | principal = your pal (a person) |
| quiet (silent) | quite (completely / fairly) | — |
| stationary (not moving) | stationery (writing materials) | stationERy = papER, lettER |
| steal (to take wrongly) | steel (a metal) | — |
| waive (to give up / excuse) | wave (ripple; to move the hand) | — |
| weather (climate of the day) | whether (if) | — |
| canvas (strong cloth) | canvass (to seek votes/support) | — |
| coarse (rough) | course (route; series of lessons) | — |
| ascent (climb) | assent (agreement) | — |
| cereal (grain) | serial (in a series) | — |
| peace (calm) | piece (a part) | — |
| sole (only; bottom of foot) | soul (spirit) | — |
| storey (floor of a building) | story (tale) | — |
| suite (set of rooms) | sweet (sugary) | — |
| bare (uncovered) | bear (animal; to tolerate) | — |
| flour (ground grain) | flower (bloom) | — |
| emigrate (to leave one’s country) | immigrate (to come to live in a country) | E = Exit, I = In |
| born (given birth to) | borne (carried / endured) | — |
| capital (chief city; money) | capitol (US legislative building) | — |
| envelop (to wrap (verb)) | envelope (paper cover (noun)) | — |
| lightening (making lighter) | lightning (flash in the sky) | — |
| loath (unwilling (adj)) | loathe (to hate (verb)) | — |
📌 3. Tricks to pick the right word
- First check the part of speech: after "a/the/my" a noun is needed (advice, effect, breath); after "to/will/can" a verb (advise, affect, breathe).
- Look at the sense: "____ danger" = imminent (approaching); "____ scientist" = eminent (famous).
- A homograph’s pronunciation comes from context: "wind (air)" ≠ "wind the clock (waɪnd)".
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- "Practice" (noun) / "practise" (verb) in British English; American English uses "practice" for both.
- "Stationary" vs "stationery" — the most common exam trap.
📌 4. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. The ____ of the school addressed the students in the morning assembly. Practice
Correct answer: (A) principal
Explanation: Principal = the head of the school (a person). Principle = a rule or belief.
Explanation: Principal = the head of the school (a person). Principle = a rule or belief.
Q2. We bought new ____ — pens, paper and envelopes — for the office. Practice
Correct answer: (C) stationery
Explanation: Stationery = writing materials (pens, paper). Stationary = not moving.
Explanation: Stationery = writing materials (pens, paper). Stationary = not moving.
Q3. The new rule will not ____ senior citizens. Practice
Correct answer: (B) affect
Explanation: After "will not" a verb is needed: affect (to influence). Effect is a noun.
Explanation: After "will not" a verb is needed: affect (to influence). Effect is a noun.
Q4. Everyone attended the meeting ____ Ravi, who was ill. Practice
Correct answer: (C) except
Explanation: Except = apart from. Accept = to receive or agree to.
Explanation: Except = apart from. Accept = to receive or agree to.
Q5. My father gave me a valuable piece of ____ before the interview. Practice
Correct answer: (D) advice
Explanation: "a piece of ____" needs a noun: advice (uncountable, so "advices" is wrong).
Explanation: "a piece of ____" needs a noun: advice (uncountable, so "advices" is wrong).
Q6. The camel is called the ship of the ____. Practice
Correct answer: (A) desert
Explanation: Desert = a dry sandy region. Dessert = a sweet dish after a meal.
Explanation: Desert = a dry sandy region. Dessert = a sweet dish after a meal.
Q7. Please keep ____ in the library. Practice
Correct answer: (C) quiet
Explanation: Keep + adjective: quiet (silent). Quite = fairly/completely.
Explanation: Keep + adjective: quiet (silent). Quite = fairly/completely.
Q8. Hold the bag tightly or you will ____ your ticket. Practice
Correct answer: (A) lose
Explanation: Lose = to misplace (verb). Loose = not tight (adjective).
Explanation: Lose = to misplace (verb). Loose = not tight (adjective).
Q9. The lawyer will ____ his client before the hearing. Practice
Correct answer: (D) counsel
Explanation: Counsel = to advise. Council = an elected body. Consul = a foreign-service official.
Explanation: Counsel = to advise. Council = an elected body. Consul = a foreign-service official.
Q10. I am not sure ____ he will come to the party. Practice
Correct answer: (B) whether
Explanation: Whether = if (conjunction). Weather = the state of the atmosphere.
Explanation: Whether = if (conjunction). Weather = the state of the atmosphere.
Q11. The bank agreed to ____ the late-payment fee. Practice
Correct answer: (D) waive
Explanation: Waive = to give up or excuse. Wave = a moving ridge of water, or to move the hand.
Explanation: Waive = to give up or excuse. Wave = a moving ridge of water, or to move the hand.
Q12. The farmers grow wheat on the fertile ____ of Punjab. Practice
Correct answer: (B) plains
Explanation: Plain = flat land (here plural "plains"). Plane = an aircraft.
Explanation: Plain = flat land (here plural "plains"). Plane = an aircraft.
Q13. He booked a lower ____ for his mother in the train. Practice
Correct answer: (C) berth
Explanation: Berth = a bed or seat on a train or ship. Birth = being born.
Explanation: Berth = a bed or seat on a train or ship. Birth = being born.
Q14. Stand by the window and take a deep ____. Practice
Correct answer: (A) breath
Explanation: "a deep ____" needs a noun: breath. Breathe is the verb.
Explanation: "a deep ____" needs a noun: breath. Breathe is the verb.
Q15. She was delighted when her teacher paid her a ____ on her essay. Practice
Correct answer: (B) compliment
Explanation: Compliment = praise. Complement = something that completes.
Explanation: Compliment = praise. Complement = something that completes.
Q16. Seeing the ____ danger of a flood, the villagers moved to higher ground. Practice
Correct answer: (D) imminent
Explanation: Imminent = about to happen. Eminent = famous and respected.
Explanation: Imminent = about to happen. Eminent = famous and respected.
Q17. The police officer tried to ____ the truth from the witness. Practice
Correct answer: (A) elicit
Explanation: Elicit = to draw out (information) — a verb. Illicit = illegal — an adjective.
Explanation: Elicit = to draw out (information) — a verb. Illicit = illegal — an adjective.
Q18. In old times, two swordsmen would fight a ____ to settle a quarrel. Practice
Correct answer: (C) duel
Explanation: Duel = a fight between two people. Dual = double.
Explanation: Duel = a fight between two people. Dual = double.
Q19. The new railway bridge is made of ____. Practice
Correct answer: (B) steel
Explanation: Steel = a strong metal. Steal = to take without permission.
Explanation: Steel = a strong metal. Steal = to take without permission.
Q20. The miser used to ____ gold coins under his bed. Practice
Correct answer: (C) hoard
Explanation: Hoard = to store up secretly. Horde = a large crowd.
Explanation: Hoard = to store up secretly. Horde = a large crowd.