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Homonyms
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Word
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Meanings
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Example
of less common meaning
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husband
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1. n. a
male spouse. 2. v. to manage
frugally. to conserve. ___husbandryn.
management.
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(2) Our mother
was so good at husbanding
resources that we never went hungry, even
when our parents both lost their jobs.___This
college offers many courses in animal husbandry.
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appropriate
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1. adj.
correct, proper, or in good taste. 2.
v. to take for one's own use. to take
possession of, without consent
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(2) The advancing
army appropriated food and
other supplies from the territories they occupied.
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flag
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1. n.
banner. 2. v. to wane or weaken
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(2) When the runner's
strength begins to flag,
she walks for a few minutes, then gradually
increases her speed.
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fry
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1. v.
to cook in hot oil. 2. n. baby fish
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The newborn fry
are easy prey to larger fish in
the area.
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lied
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1. v. past
tense. to tell an untruth. 2. n.
(plural: lieder) German. a song, lyric, or
ballad.
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This
opera was inspired by a traditional lied.
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bore
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1. v. to
cause one to lose interest. 2. v. to
drill a hole. adj. similar to or pertaining to
objects that drill holes.
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Pickleworms bore
into the fruit of cucumber
and squash plants to feed on their flesh.
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die
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1. v. to
cease to live. 2. n. a mold used for
shaping pieces of metal for incorporation
into tools or other products
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(2) These car models
are so similar that the
same die can be used for most body parts, such
as the doors, hood, roof, and trunk cover.
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sap
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1. n. sugary
liquid found in trees. 2. v. to
deplete or weaken.
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(2) Chronic sleep
deprivation will eventually sap
the vitality of those who suffer from it.
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wag
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1. v. to
wave back and forth, as a dog's
tail. 2. n. a joker. someone who keeps
people amused with humorous stories
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(2) John's reputation
as a wag insured he would
be invited to many parties.
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foil
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1. n. a
thin sheet made of metal. 2. n. a
type of rapier or sword. foils: the sport or
practice of fencing with such swords. 3. n.
a person or thing used in a comparison in
order to make another person or thing
seem superior. 4. v. to spoil or thwart; to
prevent the success of.
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(3) She had brought
so many obviously
unsuitable suitors home to her parents that they
acted as foils; when she introduced John, he
seemed an excellent prospect by contrast and
her parents were happy to agree to the
marriage. (4) The unexpected return of their
parents foiledtheir plans for a party.
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milk
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1. n. opaque
liquid secreted by the
mammary glands. 2. v. to extract by action
similar to milking. to drain the strength from
or exploit.
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(2) John became
very good at milking his
misfortunes for all the sympathy he could get.
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screen
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1. n. a
flat surface on which to project an
image. 2. N. a mesh designed to allow
passage of some things while excluding
others, as a window screen. 3. v. to select
some items from a larger group.
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(3) The applicants
were screened based on
their resumes before the finalists were selected
for interviews.
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slight
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1. adj.
small, as for quantity or amount. 2.
n. an insult or other act showing disrespect.
3. v. to insult or show disrespect
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(3) The director
decided to list the actors'
names alphabetically, so as not to slightanyone.
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fawn
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1. n. a
baby deer. 2. v. to behave in an
excessively humble or obsequious manner.
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(2)Charlie always fawnedover
his professors so
much that all the other students disliked him.
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strut
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1. v. to
walk in such a way as to show
great pride or confidence. 2. n. a support
for an airplane wing or other projecting
part.
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(2) Because the
struts were made of inferior
material, the wings of that plane became
unstable.
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muffler
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1. n. an
object for suppressing noise. 2. n.
a scarf worn around the neck for warmth.
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(2) Our mother
would never let us leave the
house without our mufflers and mittens in the
winter.
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hack
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1. v. to
chop. 2. n. a bad or unoriginal
writer.
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(2) Even though
he worked for the New York
Times, he always felt like a hack.
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temper
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1. n. emotional
state or anger, as in "she
has quite a temper." 2. v. to moderate or to
strengthen.
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(2) She tried to
remember to temper her words
so as not to offend her listeners.
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lumber
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1. n. wood
used for building. 2. v. to move
heavily or without grace.
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(2) The Frankenstein
monster lumbered toward
the little girl.
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Word
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Meanings
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Example
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waver
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v.
vacillate or move back and forth
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waiver
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n.
release or special exemption from a rule
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Most of the students
tried to get waivers of their
overdue fines.
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wave
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n. a moving
swell on the surface of a body
of water. v. to sweep the hand or arm or
some object.
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waive
(see waiver)
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v.
to relinquish
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We refuse to waive
the reading of the
indictment.
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chorale
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n.
a type of hymn (sung) or a choir
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corral
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n. a fenced
enclosure for cattle or horses.
v. to herd cattle or horses (or people) into
one place
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Maimie always corraled
Marnie into serving as
secretary for the meetings.
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[1] Meanings and./or examples only given when confusion might otherwise arise.
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1. readin'
