Homonyms Quiz #1

Can you guess each homonym based on two different definitions?
Homonyms are words that have the same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings
Includes both true and polysemous homonyms
Quiz by Quizmaster
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Last updated: June 9, 2016
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First submittedNovember 1, 2011
Times taken75,444
Average score60.0%
Rating4.15
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Meaning #1
Meaning #2
Answer
Type of bird
High-ranking Catholic
official
Cardinal
Dark red color
To abandon on a deserted island
Maroon
Place for strays
Unit of weight
Pound
Personnel
Wizard accessory
Staff
Piece of superhero attire
Point of land that juts into the sea
Cape
Spherical object
Formal dance
Ball
Legal arena
To romance
Court
Type of poker
Male breeding animal
Stud
Strike with the fist
Fruit juice beverage
Punch
Social gathering
Political group
Party
An addiction
Nun's clothing
Habit
To record
Adhesive material
Tape
Nifty
Without ice
Neat
Type of footwear
Trunk of a car in Britain
Boot
Type of fish
Diving position
Pike
Boat maneuvered using a pole
American football kick
Punt
Half of a
whale's tail
Improbable occurrence
Fluke
Piece of sports equipment
Fraudulent scheme
Racket
Seaman's left
Type of fortified wine
Port
Elementary
Having a high pH
Basic
+2
Level 14
Nov 1, 2011
The highest is only 75%. Wow.
+3
Level 66
Dec 13, 2018
87% now for cape
+1
Level 60
May 11, 2023
Still the exact same now!
+8
Level 48
Apr 28, 2014
My husband made fun of me for saying "tape" when I meant record. He has a point. When was the last time you recorded something on tape?
+26
Level 82
Jul 29, 2014
When was the last time your boss paid you in salt? But we still use the word salary...
+3
Level 56
Sep 3, 2015
Haha, fantastic point :)
+1
Level 34
Oct 16, 2020
True! ^-^
+7
Level 70
May 8, 2021
Am I the only one? No wonder my doctor says work is giving me hypertension, lol.
+2
Level 82
Jul 29, 2014
though, on the other hand, I do think "tape" as a verb is falling out of favor. Much more common to hear "record," "save," or even "TiVo" which is itself fairly obsolete. People still call their mobile phones cell phones even though we stopped using cellular technology a long time ago, but that term seems to be waning as well in favor of "mobile," "smart phone," or in some places "hand phone." Some terms like this stick and some don't.
+1
Level 64
Oct 13, 2016
I always say tape. Regardless of what I mean. And it's been 10 years since I used a VHS to record.
+4
Level 67
May 8, 2021
I just call it a "phone".
+2
Level 82
May 8, 2021
with the increasing rareness of landlines, yes, simply saying "phone" is becoming a more and more popular alternative.
+3
Level 67
Oct 21, 2021
Which is ironic, because I pretty much never call anybody on it...
+1
Level 82
Oct 13, 2016
In my language (and probably others as well) we can still "spin" music, movies etc, regardless of the media
+1
Level 83
May 12, 2017
Last week, actually.
+1
Level 66
Dec 13, 2018
When is the last time you recorded something on a record?
+4
Level 89
Sep 12, 2019
The verb came before the noun. That's a flip flopped comparison.
+1
Level 67
May 10, 2023
Record studios record to tape (if they're still analog).
+4
Level 45
Jun 21, 2014
I prefer elementary. Imagine Sherlock Holmes saying 'Basic, my dear Watson.' Yeah. No.
+3
Level 44
Jul 29, 2014
Well, it's not like he ever said that 'quote' in the first place.
+9
Level 43
Jul 29, 2014
It's not like he actually existed.
+4
Level 45
Sep 6, 2014
Whatever, it still sounds cool. Actually, he came very close, when speaking to Watson, he did say 'Elementary,' and 'my dear Watson', in very close proximity to each other. Besides. 'Luke, I am your father' never actually happened. 'Beam me up, Scotty' never happened. It's just association.
+1
Level 78
Feb 15, 2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lag22Hl2RQw

Maybe not in the stories, but he certainly did on film. Watch the tape...

+1
Level 21
Aug 7, 2015
Can we change "unit of weight" to "unit of mass" please?
+15
Level 84
Nov 4, 2015
The clue is correct. Pounds are not a unit of mass; they are a unit of weight (or in a more general sense, force). Much of the confusion is because the typical unit used with the Imperial/US system is a force (pounds), whereas the typical metric/SI unit is a unit of mass (kilograms). Outside of science and engineering, few know the Imperial unit of mass (slugs) or the metric unit of force (Newtons). Adding to the confusion, quasi-official units have come into use, such as "kilogram-force" (kgf) and "pound mass" (lbm), which use earth's gravity as the "standard" acceleration relating force and mass.
+2
Level 66
May 10, 2023
I would say Newtons are relatively well known, we all used Newton meters at school and it's named after one of the most famous people ever.
+2
Level 76
May 10, 2023
We did?
+1
Level 53
May 12, 2023
slugs are mass, pounds are weight
+6
Level 60
Jul 6, 2016
So thanks to homonyms, the phrase "The ball is in your court" could mean that the formal dance is in your romance.
+4
Level 48
Oct 13, 2016
No because court is a verb m8... that's like saying "the ball is in your swim"
+1
Level 47
Oct 13, 2016
No, Court is definitly not a verb.
+12
Level 57
Feb 9, 2019
Matthew07 are you serious?
+3
Level 64
Feb 25, 2020
Matthew07 it is a verb in this sense
+8
Level 65
Oct 13, 2016
I believe the piece of sports equipment is spelled "racquet."
+3
Level 70
Sep 17, 2018
In the UK it is. In the USA it's a racket.
+1
Level 60
Sep 8, 2021
That gives a whole new level to the crime of racketeering.
+3
Level 66
May 10, 2023
And it's spelt "racquet" in Australia and NZ and India and Europe and....
+1
Level 58
Oct 13, 2016
excellent challenge
+1
Level 82
Oct 13, 2016
occurrence. two r's.
+7
Level 47
Oct 18, 2016
i put "tea party" for the political group...
+4
Level 48
Sep 28, 2018
are you from Boston??
+1
Level 51
Feb 14, 2017
3.45
+2
Level 39
Feb 23, 2017
did anyone else put commune for social gathering and political group?
+1
Level 60
Aug 21, 2017
A pound is not a unit of weight, it is a unit of mass. A unit of weight is a Newton, for example.
+5
Level 43
Jan 18, 2018
The clue is correct. Pounds are not a unit of mass; they are a unit of weight (or in a more general sense, force). Much of the confusion is because the typical unit used with the Imperial/US system is a force (pounds), whereas the typical metric/SI unit is a unit of mass (kilograms). Outside of science and engineering, few know the Imperial unit of mass (slugs) or the metric unit of force (Newtons). Adding to the confusion, quasi-official units have come into use, such as "kilogram-force" (kgf) and "pound mass" (lbm), which use earth's gravity as the "standard" acceleration relating force and mass.

(Taken from FreeStateBear)

+2
Level 89
Sep 12, 2019
Amazing. Long-form answer and still the same short-form objection appeared.
+1
Level 76
Feb 25, 2020
A Newton is a unit of force, not weight
+3
Level 64
Feb 25, 2020
Weight is a force
+1
Level 28
Dec 21, 2020
Newton is a unit of weight because weight is the unit of force on an object due to gravity so you are both correct
+1
Level 53
May 12, 2023
Weight is a force. It just specifically refers to a force where the acceleration is due to gravity. Kg's are mass, but lbs (referring to lbf not lbm) is a force/weight. Pounds are treated as weight unless specifically denoted as lbm (lbs mass) which is lbf divide by the imperial gravity coefficient
+1
Level 53
May 12, 2023
A pound is a unit of weight because it is a slug (imperial unit for mass) multiplied by the imperial coefficient for acceleration due to gravity
+1
Level 73
May 23, 2018
This was a tricky one, I missed a few.

Sometimes you see the answers and you're mad you didn't think of it but in this case I just was too flummoxed by half of a whale's tale, I had never heard that described as a fluke. Now I know!

+2
Level 34
Jun 26, 2018
...i thought fluke was the whole tail end...
+3
Level 66
Dec 13, 2018
Isnt racket just a lot of noise? (And something to play tennis with) never heard of it as a fraudulent scheme. I tried stick.. there is a stick-up...
+1
Level 67
May 8, 2021
Well, I know about 'racketeering', so maybe there is some relation...
+2
Level 71
May 11, 2021
I don't think "fraudulent scheme" is a great description of "racket". Racketeering has to with conspiracy and organization, it doesn't really have anything to do with fraud. Colloquially, a racket likewise has do with conspiracy or organization. Price-fixing and monopolies are rackets, but they're not fraudulent. Private prisons are rackets, as are many services with oligopolies or monopolies that sell services required by law or the government, but they're not fraudulent.
+1
Level 53
May 12, 2023
It's an American term for organized crime syndicates. If you are involved with the mafia or cartel in any way you can be charged with "racketeering" and the syndicates are the rackets
+1
Level 71
Apr 1, 2019
I don't agree with all of these, so I'll just make my own clues.

Piece of sports equipment - Fraudulent scheme - Noise

Type of fish - Diving position - Weapon good against cavalry

Boat maneuvered using a pole - American football kick - Country the ancient Egyptians used to trade with

+2
Level 75
Nov 25, 2019
Without ice? Neat? Never heard of that usage.
+6
Level 72
Nov 25, 2019
It's mostly used in bars when ordering a drink. it's basically the opposite of "on the rocks" which means with ice. For example you might say "I'd like a bourbon, neat."
+3
Level 78
Feb 15, 2021
In the states.
+2
Level 82
Dec 11, 2022
Common usage in the UK too.
+1
Level 34
Oct 16, 2020
I feel very stupid.
+1
Level 67
Apr 25, 2021
The only one I missed was the "neat" question. Sooo close to a perfect score.
+3
Level 80
May 8, 2021
A bishop is a type of bird, and also in the catholic church
+7
Level 60
May 8, 2021
Surely 'neat' means without water (or anything else, mixers and so on) rather than specifically without ice?
+1
Level 80
Feb 8, 2023
Sure, but I can't think of a situation where you order straight liquor and they add anything to it that isn't ice.
+1
Level 66
May 10, 2023
The clue doesn't specify straight liquor, it could refer to a martini (or even a spirit from a chilled container)
+3
Level 77
May 8, 2021
What's the connection between wizards and staffs? When I was a kid, wizards had wands (although not as personnel, obviously).
+4
Level 54
May 10, 2021
Gandalf
+1
Level 77
May 10, 2021
Sorry, what?
+3
Level 82
May 12, 2021
Were you a kid before Arthurian legends arose? There are plenty of old depictions of Merlin with a staff. Gandalf, probably the most famous wizard in modern fantasy fiction (and consequently the archetype for modern depictions) is depicted as using a staff in The Hobbit, which was released in 1937. Gandalf's prominence was significantly reinforced in 1954 by the release of The Lord of the Rings. Since then most fantasy depicts wizards as using staffs, with notable exceptions being Disney's Fantasia, released in 1940, and Harry Potter, first releasing in 1997. The origins of both wands and staves are much older though. Rods, sceptres, wands, batons and staves have long been symbols of power. The magical staff might be based in the image of Moses and his staff, or perhaps the staves of Celtic Druids, or some combination thereof. Magical wands have a specific occult basis since around the Middle Ages.
+3
Level 75
May 12, 2021
A fluke isn't an improbable occurrence. It's achieving by luck something that you probably can't replicate.
+3
Level 82
May 12, 2021
Ever heard of a fluke accident? Has nothing to do with achievement or replicability. What you described is one way the word is used, but it fits within the broader definition the quiz features. Besides, an improbable occurrence is, by its nature, unlikely to be replicated.
+1
Level 79
Apr 16, 2022
Nope...it just means an unlikely occurrence or something you think probably won't happen again. Doesn't have to be lucky.
+1
Level 53
May 12, 2023
You just defined exactly what an improbable occurrence is
+4
Level 49
Oct 21, 2021
In the correct, proper, queen's English; racket and racquet are not homonyms.
+2
Level 53
May 12, 2023
Not for Americans which has several times more English speakers than Brits. Your preference does not override over 300 million peoples vocabulary
+1
Level 70
May 10, 2023
The cluing in this quiz reminds me of late week crosswords: succinct with lots of ways to parse a given word. e.g. "dance" could mean a type of dance like a waltz or an event one might attend. Good job, QM!
+2
Level 67
May 10, 2023
I got fluke, it was just a guess.
+2
Level 35
May 10, 2023
A fluke, you could say
+1
Level 35
May 10, 2023
I would have got fluke if it were "a small flatworm" rather than the whale tail thing.
+2
Level 59
May 10, 2023
I was very sad when “noice” wasn’t accepted for Withou Ice and Nifty. Thought I was being very clever.
+2
Level 65
May 11, 2023
Maroon is a shade of brown not red. It comes from the name of chestnuts
+1
Level 67
Dec 15, 2023
google maroon