Identifying Synonyms When Words Have Multiple Meanings - ISEE Lower Level Verbal Reasoning

"Assent" means approve or agree. If a sibling assents to doing chores, it means he or she agrees to do chores. "Agree" is thus the answer choice closest in meaning to "assent," and the correct answer.

"Mentor," when used as a noun, means advisor, so we need to pick out an answer choice that refers to a person and means something like advisor. Of the possible answer choices, only three refer to people: "guide," "coworker," and "rival." Since one meaning of "guide" is advisor, "guide" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "mentor" and the correct answer.

"Tread" is a word that when used as a verb means walk in a particular manner and when used as a noun means the way in which a person walks or the sound he or she makes by walking in that way. We thus need to pick out an answer choice that is either a verb or a noun and means something like walk or manner of walking. While "treat" and "tread" may look somewhat alike, they have completely different meanings, so "treat" cannot be the correct answer. "Step," however, when used as a verb means move one's foot forward as part of the action of walking, so "step" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "tread" and the correct answer.

To yield means to give in or to relent; for example, a parent may relent in terms of the requests of a child.

Because all of the potential answer choices are nouns, we will be looking for a word that is synonymous with "moral" when "moral" is used as a noun, and means "a lesson, especially one concerning what is right or prudent, that can be derived from a story, a piece of information, or an experience." While a fable usually includes a moral, "fable" does not mean the same thing that "moral" does, so "fable" cannot be the correct answer. "Message," however, when used as a noun, can mean "a significant point or central theme, especially one that has political, social, or moral importance." Because "message" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "moral," "message" is the correct answer.

"Jumble" is a word that when used as a noun means "an untidy collection or pile of things," and when used as a verb means "mix up in a confused or untidy way." "Muddle" means "bring into a disordered or confusing state" when used as a verb, and either "an untidy and disorganized state or collection" or "a mistake arising from or resulting in confusion" when used as a noun. So, "muddle" is the correct answer because it is the answer choice closest in meaning to "jumble."

Abroad most closely means overseas. If someone travels or studies abroad, it means they go overseas to another country.

If someone has a hunch, it means they have an idea or feeling about a situation or something in particular.

"Rot" is a verb that means "decay or cause to decay by the action of bacteria and fungi; decompose." While something that is rotting might gross someone out, "gross out" does not mean the same thing as "rot," so it cannot be the correct answer. Because "decay" is the closest synonym to "rot" amongst the listed answer choices, "decay" is the correct answer.

"Wince" is a word that when used as a verb, means "give a slight involuntary grimace or withdrawing movement of the body in anticipation of pain or distress." "Flinch," a word that when used as a verb means "make a quick, nervous movement of the face or body as an instinctive reaction to surprise, fear or pain," is the answer choice closest in meaning to "wince," so "flinch" is the correct answer.

"Hoax" is a word that when used as a noun means "a humorous or malicious deception," and as a verb, "deceive with a hoax." So, "truth" cannot be the correct answer because "truth" is an antonym of "hoax." "Ruse," however, is a noun that means "an action intended to deceive someone; a trick." Because "ruse" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "hoax," "ruse" is the correct answer.

"Luster," when used as a noun, means "a gentle sheen or soft glow, especially that of a partly reflective surface," so we need to pick out an answer choice that is a noun and means something like "a gentle sheen." "Dullness" cannot be the correct answer, then, because "dullness" is an antonym of "sheen." "Shine," however, when used as a noun, means "a quality of brightness, especially from reflected light," and because "shine" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "luster," "shine" is the correct answer.

"Grasp" is a word that when used as a verb, means either "seize and hold firmly," "get mental hold of; comprehend fully," or "act decisively to the advantage of." As a noun, "grasp" means either "a firm hold or grip," "a person's power or capacity to attain something," "a person's understanding." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that is either a verb meaning "hold firmly," "comprehend fully," or "act decisively," or a noun that means "a firm hold" or "a person's understanding." So, neither "loose" nor "toss" can be the correct answer, because each of those answer choices is an antonym of "hold firmly." "Grip," however, when used as a verb, means "take and keep a firm hold of; grasp tightly," and because "grip" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "grasp," "grip" is the correct answer.

"Ditch" is a word that when used as a noun, means "a narrow channel dug in the ground, typically used for drainage alongside a road or the edge of a field." When used as a verb, "ditch" can mean "provide with ditches," or, informally, "get rid of; give up." Because all of the answer choices are verbs, we will need to consider "ditch" as a verb pick out an answer choice that means something like "provide with ditches" or "get rid of." "Follow," then, cannot be the correct answer, because if one is following someone, they are not abandoning them. "Desert," however, is a word that when used as a verb means "abandon (a person, cause, or organization) in a way considered disloyal or treacherous," and because "desert" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "ditch," "desert" is the correct answer.

All of the answer choices can be used as verbs, so we need to consider "gorge" as a verb. When used as a verb, "gorge" means "eat a large amount greedily; fill oneself with food," so we need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "eat a lot." "Starve," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "starve" means "of a person or animal: suffer severely or die from hunger," making it an antonym, not a synonym, of "gorge." "Devour," a verb that means "eat (food or prey) hungrily or quickly," is the answer choice closest in meaning to "gorge," so "devour" is the correct answer.

"Estimate" is a word that can be used as a noun or a verb, but because all of the potential answer choices are verbs, we will need to consider it as a verb. When used as a verb, "estimate" means "roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of," so we need to pick out a verb that means something like "roughly calculate." So, "pinpoint" cannot be the correct answer, because when used as a verb, "pinpoint" means "find or locate exactly," which is not close in meaning to "roughly calculate." "Approximate," however, is a word that when used as a verb, means either "come close or be similar to something in quality, nature, or quantity" or "estimate or calculate (a quantity) fairly accurately." Because "approximate" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "estimate," "approximate" is the correct answer.

"Pledge" is a word that can be used as a noun or a verb, but because all of the answer choices can be used as nouns, we will need to consider "pledge" as a noun. As a noun, "pledge" means "a solemn promise or undertaking," so we will need to pick out an answer choice that means something like "a solemn promise." "Treason," then, cannot be the correct answer, because "treason" means either "the crime of betraying one's country, especially by attempting to kill the sovereign or overthrow the government" or "the action of betraying someone or something," both meanings of which are far from meaning "a solemn promise." "Assurance," however, is a noun that means " a positive declaration intended to give confidence; a promise," and because "assurance" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "pledge," "assurance" is the correct answer.

"Wager" is a word that when used as a noun, means "an agreement in which people try to guess what will happen and the person who guesses wrong has to give something (such as money) to the person who guesses right," and when used as a verb, means "to risk losing something (such as money) if your guess about what will happen is wrong." So, we need to pick out an answer choice that is either a noun that means something like "an agreement in which people try to guess what will happen and something (such as money) is at stake," or a verb that means "to enter into such an agreement." "Bet" is a word that when used as a noun means "an act of risking a sum of money on the outcome of a future event," and when used as a verb means "risk something, usually a sum of money, against someone else's on the basis of the outcome of a future event, such as the result of a race or game." Because "bet" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "wager," "bet" is the correct answer.

"Nick" is a word that can be used as a noun or a verb, but because all of the potential answer choices are nouns, we will need to consider "nick" as a noun. When used as a noun, "nick" means "a small cut or notch," so we need to pick out a noun that mean something like "a small cut or notch." While "table" can refer to an object that could have a nick in it, "table" does not mean "nick," so "table" cannot be the correct answer. "Scratch," however, is a word that when used as a noun, means "a mark or wound made by scratching," or in other words, " a line or mark in the surface of something that is caused by something rough or sharp rubbing against it" or "a shallow and narrow cut in the skin that is caused by something sharp." Because "scratch" is the answer choice closest in meaning to "nick," "scratch" is the correct answer.