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Vocabulary - Same Words Spelled Differently

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Vocabulary - Same Words Spelled Differently

This English Language quiz is called 'Vocabulary - Same Words Spelled Differently' and it has been written by teachers to help you if you are studying the subject at middle school. Playing educational quizzes is a fabulous way to learn if you are in the 6th, 7th or 8th grade - aged 11 to 14.

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Words that have the same sound but are spelled differently and have different meanings are known as homonyms. The English language is filled with these kinds of words.

For example, let’s look at the following two sentences:

For each sentence that follows, find the correctly spelled word that should be used in the sentence that also has the correct meaning for that sentence.
1 .
When we went to Antelope Island we saw a large _____ of buffalo.
pack
herd
heard
pact
Answer (a) might see like it would fit as one meaning for “pack” is “a collection of things” but buffalos are never considered to be in a “pack” so Answer (a) is not correct. In Answer (d) the word “pact” means “an agreement” so that word does not fit in to this sentence. Answer (c) is a past tense verb of “to hear” and, therefore, it too is not what we are looking for. That leaves Answer (b) “herd”. A “herd” means “a group of animals” so it is the answer we are looking for in this sentence.
2 .
Her perfume had the best _____ I have ever smelled!
cent
sent
scent
since
The word in Answer (a) “cent” means “a unit of currency/money” so it does not fit this sentence. The word in Answer (b) “sent” is the past tense verb of “to send” so it, too, is not the correct word or meaning that is needed for this sentence. The word in Answer (d) “since” is an adverb meaning “before now”. It does not fit in this sentence so it is not the correct answer. The word in Answer (c) “scent” means an odor or perfume. It fits perfectly into our sentence and is the correct answer.
3 .
She _____ the rug vigorously to get all of the dirt out.
beat
baet
beet
bete
Answers (b) and (d) are both incorrectly spelled words so neither of them is the correct answer. In this sentence we a looking for a word that means to strike or hit with force. The word in Answer (c) is “beet” and this refers to a type of root plant or vegetable that is eaten so it is not what we are looking for. Answer (a) has the correct word, spelling and meaning we are looking for in this sentence as to “beat” means to strike or hit vigorously or to abuse.
4 .
They always went ______ for summer vacations.
thier
their
they're
there
Answer (a) is a misspelled word and not the answer we are looking for. Answer (b) is a possessive pronoun so it would not fit in this sentence. The word in Answer (c) is a contraction of “they” and “are” with an apostrophe taking the place of the missing “a”. It is clear that this answer is not the correct answer. The word in Answer (d) “there” means “that place” or “that point” and easily fits into the sentence with the correct meaning.
5 .
The two countries got together to have a ______ talk.
pease
peace
piece
piese
Answers (a) and (d) although they have the same sound, are both misspelled words. They are not the correct answers. The word in Answer (c) “piece” means a “unit of” or a “portion of” a larger part. This then does not fit the meaning that we need for this sentence. The word in Answer (b) “peace” means the “absence of war or hostility”. This word, therefore, fits our sentence in both spelling and meaning as the countries got together to have a peace talk.
6 .
My mother thought that the dress was too _____.
plain
plane
playing
plan
The word in Answer (a) “plain” means simple. The meaning of the word in Answer (b) “plane” means something that is “flat or level”. The meaning of the word in Answer (c) “playing” is present tense verb of the verb “to play” and is not the word that will fit in this sentence. Finally, the meaning of the word in Answer (d) “plan” means a “course of action.” It also does not sound like the word we need here. Answer (d) is not the correct answer. Answer (a) shows the correct word, spelling and meaning of the word that will fit in this sentence.
7 .
The __________ called the two misbehaved boys to his office.
princepel
principel
principal
principle
All four answers hear do sound alike; however, Answers (a) and (b) are both misspelled words so they are not the correct answer. For this sentence we are talking about the head person at a school. The key here is “person.” The word in Answer (d) “principle” means a basic law or a rule of standard. It does not refer to a person. The word in Answer (c) “principal” means a person having a starring or leading role. This means that Answer (c) is the correct answer, spelling and meaning. To remember the difference between “principal” and “principle” remember that a “pal” is a person so the other spelling is an agreement.
8 .
She wanted to write a letter but she didn’t have any ___________.
stationiery
stationary
stationery
stationry
Answers (a) and (d) are both incorrectly spelled words and not what we are looking for. Answer (b) is spelled correctly but is not the word we are looking for here. The word “stationary” with an “a” means to stand still or to stay put. This clearly isn’t what “she didn’t have” so Answer (b) is not correct. Answer (c), “stationery” is the correct answer here. “Stationery” with an “e” is for paper to write on. The easy way to remember the correct usage of “stationary” and “stationery” is that the one with an “a” is for “stand” and the one with an “e” is for something you put in an “envelope.”
9 .
After his father died, he was in ________ for weeks.
morning
mourning
moorning
moaning
Answer (c) is an incorrectly spelled word so it is not the answer we are looking for. The word in Answer (d) “moaning” is a present tense verb and means to cry in sorrow. It does not sound like the word we need here nor does it have the correct meaning we are looking for. The word in Answer (a) “morning” means dawn or the beginning of a day and is clearly not the word we are looking for. The word in Answer (b) “mourning” means to show grief for the dead. Answer (b) is the correct word, spelling and meaning we need to fit in this sentence.
10 .
I always thought that the two of them made a great _____.
pair
pare
pear
payer
The word in Answer (a) “pair” means two adjoining items. The meaning of the word in Answer (b) “pare” means “to remove by cutting.” The meaning of the word in Answer (c) “pear” is a fruit of a tree. Finally, the meaning of the word in Answer (d) “payer” refers to a person or entity that pays a bill or debt. Knowing all of the meanings we can see that Answer (a) is the correct spelling and meaning that we are looking for in this sentence.
Author:  Christine G. Broome

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