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About This Quiz
You've got to be a real wordsmith to do well on this quiz. Let's find out just how much you really know about homophones.
No, a homophone is not a musical instrument, even though we here at How Stuff Works do think words are musical. Homophones are words that sound the same, but which are spelled differently - like witch and which.Â
In spoken language, one has to use context to be able to understand what word fits within the communication, but in written language, spelling is key. For instance, when you are speaking with someone, they are not likely to think you're telling them that you can't decide witch which is which... clearly you want to know which witch is which.Â
But, which is which, you are likely to be misunderstood. It's interesting how spelling only counts in written language, isn't it? Still, context is key, so even if you are terrible at spelling, anyone with even the tiniest bit of deductive reasoning skills will know that you mean which witch is which, not witch which is which.
Confused? Don't be. Just prove your skill with homophones by acing this quiz. Let's get started.
Fill in the blank: I couldn't figure out ____ tool to use, so I looked it up on the internet.
witch
which
"Which" is used to ask for information specifying one or more people or things from a definite set. A "witch" is a woman who is thought to have magic powers, especially evil ones.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: My mom realized she didn't have enough ____ to make the cake.
flour
"Flour" is a powder created by grinding grain and is typically used to make cake, bread and pastry.
flower
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: I went to the store to ____ milk.
bye
by
buy
"Bye" is short for goodbye but can also be defined as the transfer of a competitor directly to the next round of a competition without facing an opponent.
none of the above.
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Fill in the blank: The golfer yelled "____" when he hit the ball with his driver.
fore
While fore is yelled to warn about the path of a golf ball, it can also mean "placed in front of something."
for
four
none of the above.
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Fill in the blank: The bird ____ over the trees.
flue
flew
"Flew" is the past tense of "fly." "Flue" is a duct for smoke and waste gases produced by a fuel-burning source.
flu
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Fill in the blank: The salesman went from house to house to ____ a new invention.
petal
pedal
peddle
A "petal" is a part of a flower. A "pedal" is a foot-operated lever used to power any vehicle using the legs.
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Fill in the blank: We ____ for three hours in the car to get to grandma's house.
rode
"Rode" is the past tense of "ride." Rowed" is the past tense of "row" and a road is a wide way leading from one place to another, usually for designed for vehicles.
road
rowed
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Fill in the blank: You reap what you ____.
so
sew
sow
The phrase "you reap what you sow" means eventually you have to face consequences for your actions. The word "sow" means to plant seeds by scattering them on or in the earth.
all of the above.
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Fill in the blank: We made a huge ____ after investing in the new business.
prophet
profit
To "profit" is to make a financial gain. A "prophet" is a person regarded as an inspired teacher of the will of God.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: My wife sent me down to the wine ____ to get another bottle of pinot noir.
seller
cellar
A "cellar" is a room below the ground level of a house. A "seller" is a person who sells something.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: I had to buy new ____ for my kids before they went back to school.
close
clothes
The word "close" denotes a short distance away or apart in time or space. "Clothes" are items worn to cover the body.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The nurse had to find my ____ before drawing blood.
vane
vein
A "vane" is a broad blade that is attached to a rotating axis or wheel, usually used on devices such as windmills, propellers or turbines.
vain
all of the above.
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Fill in the blank: The ____ of the flower was intoxicating.
cent
sent
scent
"Scent" is a distinctive smell, while a "cent" is a monetary unit of countries like the United States and Canada. "Sent" is the past tense of "send."
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The FBI raided the house in order to ____ the illegal guns.
seas
sees
seize
To "seize" is to take hold of suddenly and forcibly. "Seas" is the plural for "sea" and "sees" is the third-person present tense for "see."
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Fill in the blank: The story told to me was ____ inaccurate based on the evidence.
holey
wholly
The word "wholly" means entirely or fully. "Holey" is used to describe something full of holes, while "holy" means you are dedicated to God or some other higher purpose.
holy
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: Our goal is to climb to the ____ of the mountain.
pique
peek
peak
"Pique" is a feeling or resentment or irritation to one's pride. It can also be used as a verb to show stimulation.
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: We made our new shed out of ____ after our old wood shed fell apart.
meddle
metal
To "meddle" is to get involved in something that isn't one's concern. A "medal" is a metal disc with an inscription or design used to award or commemorate a person of importance.
medal
mettle
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Fill in the blank: She used a peeler to pare off the skin of her apple.
pear
pair
pare
To "pare" is to trim something by cutting away its outer edges or outer skin. Synonyms include reduce, diminish and decrease.
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: You can choose this ____ that, but you can't have both.
oar
ore
or
"Ore" is a naturally-occurring solid material from which metals or valuable minerals can be extracted. An "oar" is used to row a boat.
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The king's ____ lasted for 50 years.
rain
reign
A "rein" is a long, narrow strap used to check or guide a horse. To "reign" is to hold a royal office.
rein
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: The homeless man was ____ from the waist up.
bare
A "bear" is an animal, but can also be used as a synonym to carry or support. "Bare" can mean not clothed or covered.
bear
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: My oldest ____ will be the first of my children to go to college.
sun
son
A "son" is a boy or man who is related to one or both parents. The "sun" is the star around which the Earth orbits.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: We sat in the lower ____ of seats for the concert.
tier
A "tier" is a row or level of a structure. A "tear" is a clear, salty liquid secreted from ones eye when crying or suffering eye irritation.
tear
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The man used his ____ to shape the wood.
adze
An "adze" is a tool similar to an ax and is used for cutting and/or shaping wood. "Ads" and "adds" are both the plural form of "ad" and "add," respectively.
ads
adds
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: Finishing such a big project in just one week was quite a ____.
feet
feat
"Feet" can be a part of the body or a unit of measure. A "feat" is an achievement that requires great courage or skill.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The horse was ____ from horses with a racing background.
bred
"Bred" is the past tense form of "breed," meaning reared in a specific way. "Bread" is food made of flour, water and yeast.
bread
none of the above
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: The ship was docked at its usual ____.
berth
A "berth" is a place where a ship is normally kept when at anchor. "Berth" is also used in a sports context such as "the team earned its first playoff berth in 10 years."
birth
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: I failed the assignment because I didn't ____ my sources.
sight
cite
While "cite" can mean to quote a book, passage or author to make a point in a scholarly work, it can also mean to summon someone to appear in court.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: We saw a ___ run across the road while driving upstate.
dear
deer
While "dear" can be used as a showing of affection for someone, it is also used as a synonym for expensive.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: I was in a total ____ after receiving the bad news.
days
daze
To be in a "daze" is to be in a state of stunned confusion or bewilderment. A "day" is a 24-hour period, with there being 365 of them in a regular Earth year.
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The people next to us at the beach let us use ____ towel.
they're
there
their
"Their" is used to show one's possession of something. "There" is used to show the location of something, while "they're" is short for "they are."
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: The white wine was a nice ____ to the fish we were eating.
complement
"Complement" is a thing that completes or brings something to perfection. A "compliment" is a polite expression of praise.
compliment
none of the above
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: We decided to ____ eggs for Easter.
die
dye
"Dye" is a substance that is used to add or change the color of something. To "die" is to stop living.
none of the above
all of the above
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Fill in the blank: We enjoyed some potato ____ soup before eating the main course of our dinner.
leak
leek
A "leek" is a plant related to the onion. It has flat overlapping leaves forming an elongated bulb that together with the leaf bases is eaten as a vegetable
all of the above
none of the above
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Fill in the blank: All I want to see before I die is world ____.
peace
"Peace" is the freedom from the disturbance of war or violence. A "piece" is a portion of an object or material, which is produced by cutting or breaking from the whole.
piece
all of the above
none of the above
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You Got:
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