Verifying a Preliminary Word Meaning

Question 1

A reader meets "Weeks without rain depleted the town's reservoir" and first guesses that depleted means "used up." Which step verifies that guess?

Accepted Answer

Put 'used up' into the sentence and see whether it still fits the drought.

Answer

Keep the guess because 'used up' is a phrase the reader already knows.

Answer

Look up 'reservoir' to confirm what a reservoir holds.

Answer

Put the similar-sounding word 'completed' into the sentence and see if it fits.

Question 2

Entry: current - 1. n. water or air moving in one direction 2. adj. happening now. Sentence: "Swimmers were warned about the current below the bridge." A reader chooses sense 1. Which check verifies that choice?

Accepted Answer

'Current' works as a noun here, and only sense 1 is a noun.

Answer

Sense 1 is printed first, so it is the meaning the entry prefers.

Answer

The warning was posted recently, which fits something happening now.

Answer

Both senses are spelled the same, so either one can be used.

Question 3

Entry: temper - 1. v. to soften the effect of something 2. v. to harden metal by heating and cooling. Sentence: "She tempered her criticism with praise." A reader guessed "made harsher." What shows the guess is wrong?

Accepted Answer

Neither numbered sense means 'made harsher,' and sense 1 means nearly the opposite.

Answer

The noun 'temper' names an angry mood, so the verb must mean the same.

Answer

Sense 2 fits, because criticism can be hardened the way metal is.

Answer

The sentence names praise, so 'criticism' must mean something positive.

Question 4

Entry: novel - 1. n. a long fictional story 2. adj. new and unusual. Sentence: "The team tried a novel approach to the flooding." A reader guessed "a storybook." Which check exposes the error?

Accepted Answer

'Novel' describes 'approach' here, so the adjective sense must apply.

Answer

'Novel' is the first sense listed, so the reader's guess holds.

Answer

The team could have read a novel about floods, so the guess fits.

Answer

'Novel' comes before a noun, so it must be a noun too.

Question 5

A farming article says, "The plot yielded 40 bushels," and later, "Rich soil yields more corn." A reader guessed that yielded means "gave way." Which check corrects the guess?

Accepted Answer

Both sentences pair the word with crop amounts, so it means 'produced.'

Answer

Road signs read 'Yield,' so 'gave way' is the word's usual meaning.

Answer

The second sentence is in the present tense, so the first differs.

Answer

The article is about soil, so the word describes how soil moves.

Question 6

A report says, "The engineer warned of a grave defect in the bridge." A reader guesses that grave means "serious." What result would confirm the guess?

Accepted Answer

'A serious defect in the bridge' keeps the engineer's warning sensible.

Answer

'Grave' also names a burial place, which suits a warning of danger.

Answer

The sentence still reads smoothly if 'grave' is simply left out.

Answer

'Grave' and 'gravel' share letters, and bridges rest on gravel.

Question 7

Entry: volume - 1. n. the amount of space something fills 2. n. loudness. Sentence: "The tank holds a greater volume of water than the barrel." A reader picks sense 1. What verifies that choice?

Accepted Answer

The sentence compares how much water each container holds, not any sound.

Answer

Sense 2 fits because water rushing into a metal tank is noisy.

Answer

Sense 1 must be right because it is the shorter definition.

Answer

Either sense works, since a tank can be measured and can be loud.

Question 8

Entry: relief - 1. n. the easing of pain or worry 2. n. the differences in height of a land surface. Sentence: "The map shades the valley to show relief." A reader guessed "comfort." What shows the guess fails?

Accepted Answer

A map shades land heights, which matches sense 2 rather than easing worry.

Answer

Sense 1 fits, because a clear map is a comfort to travelers.

Answer

Shading makes a map easier on the eyes, which is a kind of comfort.

Answer

The valley is low land, so 'relief' must mean its lowest point.

Question 9

Entry: draft - 1. n. a first version of a piece of writing 2. n. a current of cool air. Sentence: "A draft slipped under the door and chilled the room." Which check settles the sense?

Accepted Answer

Something that slips under a door and chills a room is moving air.

Answer

A first draft can be slipped under a door, so sense 1 fits.

Answer

Sense 1 is listed first, so it is the meaning to choose.

Answer

The room got cold, so 'draft' must mean a drop in temperature.

Question 10

Entry: compound - 1. v. to make something worse 2. v. to combine parts into a whole. Sentence: "Heavy rain compounded the delays on the highway." A reader guessed "mixed together." What check corrects it?

Accepted Answer

The rain made existing delays worse, and only sense 1 says that.

Answer

Rain and traffic are two things, so they must be combined.

Answer

Sense 2 is right because a highway joins many roads together.

Answer

The guess stands, because a chemical compound is made of mixed parts.

Question 11

Entry: bearing - 1. n. relevance to something 2. n. a compass direction. Sentence: "The witness's age has no bearing on her account." A reader guessed "compass direction." What shows the guess fails?

Accepted Answer

An age cannot point a direction, but it can be relevant to an account.

Answer

Sense 2 fits, because witnesses describe where the events happened.

Answer

The sentence includes 'no,' so neither sense can be tested.

Answer

Ages are numbers, and compass directions are numbers too.

Question 12

Entry: prone - 1. adj. likely to suffer from something 2. adj. lying face down. Sentence: "Low ground beside the river is prone to flooding." A reader guessed "lying face down." Which check exposes the error?

Accepted Answer

Ground cannot lie face down, but it can be likely to flood.

Answer

Rivers lie flat, so the second sense describes the ground well.

Answer

Floodwater lies on the ground, which fits sense 2.

Answer

Both senses are adjectives, so either one can describe the ground.

Question 13

A hospital update reads, "The patient's condition remained stable overnight." A reader first guesses that stable means "a building for horses." Which check shows the guess cannot be right?

Accepted Answer

'Stable' describes the condition here, so a building sense will not fit.

Answer

A patient stays in a building overnight, so the building sense fits.

Answer

'Stable' comes at the end of the sentence, so it must be a noun.

Answer

Hospitals and stables both shelter living things, so the guess is close enough.

Question 14

Entry: deliberate - 1. v. to think carefully before deciding 2. adj. done on purpose. Sentence: "The jury will deliberate until Friday." A reader picks sense 1. What verifies that choice?

Accepted Answer

'Will deliberate' is an action the jury does, and sense 1 is the verb.

Answer

Juries act on purpose, so the adjective sense fits their work.

Answer

'Deliberate' is spelled the same in both senses, so the entry cannot settle it.

Answer

Sense 1 comes first, so it is the main meaning.

Question 15

Entry: register - 1. v. to sign up officially 2. v. to show a reading or measurement. Sentence: "The old thermometer never registered the sudden drop." A reader guessed "signed up." What corrects the guess?

Accepted Answer

A thermometer shows readings, and it cannot sign up for anything.

Answer

The guess stands, since 'register' most often means to enroll.

Answer

Both senses are verbs, so the part of speech settles it as sense 1.

Answer

A new thermometer is registered when it is sold, so sense 1 fits.

Question 16

Entry: appreciate - 1. v. to value or be grateful for 2. v. to rise in value over time. Sentence: "The farmland appreciated steadily for ten years." A reader guessed "was grateful." What check settles it?

Accepted Answer

Farmland cannot feel gratitude, but its value can rise for ten years.

Answer

Farmers are grateful for land, so sense 1 fits the sentence.

Answer

Sense 1 is listed first, so it holds unless the entry says otherwise.

Answer

Ten years is a long time, so the word must describe patience.

Question 17

A profile says, "The inspector has a keen eye for cracked welds." A reader guesses that keen means "eager." Which check shows the guess needs revising?

Accepted Answer

'An eager eye for cracked welds' loses the idea of noticing them.

Answer

The guess is fine, because inspectors are eager about their work.

Answer

Eyes can look eagerly at things, so 'eager' fits the sentence.

Answer

The inspector finds cracks, so 'keen' must mean 'broken.'

Question 18

Entry: acute - 1. adj. severe or intense 2. adj. having a sharp point. Sentence: "The region faces an acute shortage of clean water." A reader picks sense 1. Which check verifies the choice?

Accepted Answer

A shortage can be severe, but it has no point that could be sharp.

Answer

Sense 2 fits, because a shortage cuts into people's daily lives.

Answer

Both senses are adjectives, so the sentence fits either one.

Answer

An acute angle is small, so the shortage must be a small one.

Question 19

Entry: static - 1. n. crackling noise that spoils a signal 2. adj. not moving or changing. Sentence: "Static drowned out the pilot's last words." A reader guessed "not moving." What shows the guess fails?

Accepted Answer

'Static' is the subject doing the drowning out, so a noun is needed.

Answer

Pilots stay seated, so the not-moving sense suits the sentence.

Answer

Sense 2 comes last, so it is the meaning the entry prefers.

Answer

'Static' starts the sentence, so it must describe the words after it.

Question 20

A council report says, "Two members expressed reservations about the budget." A reader first guesses that reservations means "booked seats." Which check corrects the guess?

Accepted Answer

Doubts can be expressed at a meeting, but booked seats cannot.

Answer

Councils meet in rooms, so booking seats fits the report well.

Answer

The word ends in -s, so it must name countable objects.

Answer

Substituting 'booked seats' still forms a complete sentence, so the guess holds.

Question 21

Entry: tender - 1. adj. soft or gentle 2. v. to offer something formally. Sentence: "The manager tendered her resignation on Monday." A reader guessed "was gentle." Which check verifies the right sense?

Accepted Answer

'Tendered' takes 'her resignation' as an object, so the verb sense fits.

Answer

Resignations are hard news, so the gentle sense softens them.

Answer

Sense 1 is listed first, so it applies unless it is absurd.

Answer

'Tendered' ends in -ed, so it can describe the manager like an adjective.

Question 22

Entry: exploit - 1. n. a bold or daring act 2. v. to use someone unfairly. Sentence: "The magazine listed the climber's exploits in the Andes." A reader guessed "unfair use." What corrects the guess?

Accepted Answer

'Exploits' names the things the magazine listed, so the noun applies.

Answer

Climbing is dangerous, so the unfair-use sense fits the risk.

Answer

The guess holds, since 'exploit' is heard more often as a verb.

Answer

'Exploits' ends in -s like 'he exploits,' so the verb sense applies.

Question 23

Entry: second - 1. n. a unit of time 2. v. to formally support a motion. Sentence: "A club member seconded the proposal before the vote." A reader guessed "waited a second." Which check settles the sense?

Accepted Answer

'Seconded' takes 'the proposal' as its object, so the support sense fits.

Answer

Voting takes time, so the unit-of-time sense belongs here.

Answer

Sense 1 appears first, so it is the meaning to use.

Answer

'Second' also means number two in order, so the member voted second.

Question 24

A report reads, "The climbers scaled the north face in eight hours." A reader first guesses that scaled means "weighed." Which check shows the guess must be revised?

Accepted Answer

'Weighed the north face in eight hours' no longer describes climbing.

Answer

Climbers weigh their packs, so 'weighed' fits a climbing report.

Answer

Fish have scales, so the word must involve something layered.

Answer

'Scaled' and 'weighed' are both verbs, so the guess fits the sentence.

Question 25

Entry: pitch - 1. n. how high or low a sound is 2. v. to throw. Sentence: "Her voice rose in pitch as the crowd grew louder." A reader picks sense 1. What verifies that choice?

Accepted Answer

A voice rising is described, and only sense 1 is about sound.

Answer

Crowds throw things, so the throwing sense fits the scene.

Answer

'Rose' is a verb, so 'pitch' must be a verb as well.

Answer

Sense 2 is the shorter definition, so it is the plainer meaning.

Question 26

Entry: strain - 1. n. a force that stretches something 2. n. a particular breed or variety. Sentence: "Growers planted a new strain of wheat this spring." A reader guessed "stretching force." What corrects it?

Accepted Answer

Wheat comes in varieties that can be planted; a force cannot be.

Answer

Wind stretches wheat stalks, so the force sense still applies.

Answer

'New' signals a change, which matches a stretching force.

Answer

Both senses are nouns, so the entry cannot decide between them.

Question 27

Entry: console - 1. v. to comfort someone who is upset 2. n. a panel of switches and controls. Sentence: "The coach consoled the goalkeeper after the loss." A reader guessed "control panel." What shows the error?

Accepted Answer

'Consoled' acts on the goalkeeper, so a verb sense is required.

Answer

Coaches use equipment, so the control-panel sense is possible.

Answer

'Consoled' ends in -ed, so it describes the goalkeeper like an adjective.

Answer

Sense 2 is the concrete meaning, so it is easier to picture.

Question 28

Entry: content - 1. n. what is contained in something 2. adj. satisfied. Sentence: "The lawyer read out the content of the letter." A reader guessed "satisfied." Which check verifies the right sense?

Accepted Answer

'The content of the letter' names a thing, so the noun sense fits.

Answer

Lawyers are pleased to win, so the satisfied sense fits here.

Answer

Sense 2 uses fewer words, so it is the simpler meaning to pick.

Answer

The sentence already has a verb, so any sense may be used.

Question 29

A news item says, "Several parents objected to the new bus route." A reader first guesses that objected means "pointed at a thing." Which check shows the guess is wrong?

Accepted Answer

'Objected to the route' expresses opposition, not pointing at a thing.

Answer

The noun 'object' names a thing, so the verb must mean the same.

Answer

Buses are objects, so the guess matches the sentence closely.

Answer

'Objected' is a verb, and pointing is an action, so the guess fits.

Question 30

Entry: refuse - 1. v. to say no to something 2. n. waste or trash. Sentence: "Refuse collection begins at dawn on Tuesdays." A reader guessed "saying no." Which check settles the sense?

Accepted Answer

'Refuse' names what is collected here, so the noun sense applies.

Answer

Workers may say no to overtime, so the verb sense still fits.

Answer

The word opens the sentence, so it must be the verb.

Answer

Both senses share one spelling, so the entry cannot tell them apart.

Question 31

Entry: mint - 1. n. a leafy herb 2. adj. brand new and unmarked. Sentence: "The 1938 coin is still in mint condition." A reader guessed "the herb." Which check corrects the guess?

Accepted Answer

'Mint' describes the coin's condition, so the adjective sense fits.

Answer

Old coins turn green, and mint leaves are green as well.

Answer

Sense 1 is listed first, so the herb meaning holds.

Answer

'Mint' follows 'in,' so it must name a thing like the herb.

Question 32

A student reads, "The rope was coarse and cut his palms," then checks the entry for "course." What is wrong with that check?

Accepted Answer

'Course' is a different word; the entry for 'coarse' is the one to read.

Answer

Nothing is wrong, because the two words sound exactly alike.

Answer

The student read only one sense instead of comparing them all.

Answer

The entry should be read from the last sense to the first.

Question 33

A report says, "The town adopted a new recycling plan." A reader looked up "adapt" and guessed "changed to fit." Which check shows the verification went wrong?

Accepted Answer

The printed word is 'adopted,' so the wrong entry was consulted.

Answer

The two meanings are close, so either entry verifies the guess.

Answer

Towns do change, so 'changed to fit' suits the sentence well.

Answer

The reader should have read every sense of 'adapt' before guessing.

Question 34

Entry: degree - 1. n. a unit for measuring temperature 2. n. the amount or extent of something. Sentence: "The plan succeeded, though to a lesser degree than hoped." Which check fixes the sense?

Accepted Answer

The sentence measures how much success there was, not a temperature.

Answer

Success can be described as warm, so the temperature sense fits.

Answer

Sense 1 is first, so it applies unless the entry says otherwise.

Answer

'Lesser' is a comparison, so neither numbered sense can work.

Question 35

A review says, "The lawyer built a sound argument from three records." A reader first guesses that sound means "a noise." Which check shows the guess cannot be verified?

Accepted Answer

Substituting gives 'a noise argument,' which the sentence cannot support.

Answer

Lawyers speak aloud, so the noise meaning suits a courtroom.

Answer

An argument can be loud, so 'a noise argument' still makes sense.

Answer

'Sound' carries one meaning, so substituting it is unnecessary.

Question 36

Entry: humor - 1. n. the quality of being funny 2. v. to go along with someone to keep them happy. Sentence: "The sitter humored the toddler until bedtime." Which check settles the sense?

Accepted Answer

'Humored' is the sitter's action on the toddler, so the verb sense fits.

Answer

Toddlers laugh often, so the funny-quality sense belongs here.

Answer

Sense 1 comes first, so it is the meaning to apply.

Answer

'Humored' ends in -ed, so it describes the sitter's mood.

Question 37

Entry: abstract - 1. n. a short summary of a longer report 2. adj. existing as an idea, not a physical thing. Sentence: "Read the abstract before the full study." Which check verifies the sense?

Accepted Answer

'The abstract' is a thing to be read, so the noun sense applies.

Answer

Studies are full of ideas, so the adjective sense fits better.

Answer

Sense 2 is listed last, so it is the more modern meaning.

Answer

The sentence is a command, so its words cannot be nouns.

Question 38

A memo says, "The captain briefed the crew before the storm." A reader first guesses that briefed means "was short." Which check shows the guess fails?

Accepted Answer

'Briefed the crew' names an action done to people, not a length.

Answer

'Brief' means short, so the guess needs no further checking.

Answer

Storms arrive quickly, so shortness fits the sentence's timing.

Answer

'Briefed' comes right after 'the captain,' so it describes what he was like.

Question 39

A reader substitutes a guessed meaning into the sentence, and the sentence no longer makes sense. What is the reader's next step?

Accepted Answer

Return to the dictionary entry and try a different numbered sense.

Answer

Keep the guessed meaning, since a first idea is usually closest.

Answer

Replace the hard word with an easier one and keep reading.

Answer

Decide the sentence holds a printing error and move past it.

Question 40

An article uses "candid" twice: "a candid interview" and "candid about her own mistakes." A reader guessed "carefully rehearsed." What does checking the second use show?

Accepted Answer

Admitting her own mistakes points to honesty, so the guess must change.

Answer

Interviews are rehearsed, so both uses confirm the first guess.

Answer

Two uses of one word always carry two different meanings.

Answer

The second use is about mistakes, so it says nothing about the interview.

BLASTROOM

BLASTROOM

BLASTROOM

Verifying a Preliminary Word Meaning

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Verifying a Preliminary Word Meaning

Ways to Play

Device Games: Students play on their phones

Blast Go

Zombie Escape

Avalanche

Maze Blast

Cave Climb

Blast Out

Mystery Auction

Tour Guide

Food Truck Rush

Tug of War

Alien Blast

Glacier Rush

Board Games: Teacher-led, projected to the class

Like what you see?

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Bug Blast

BlastRace

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Mystery Blast

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Texas Hold 'Em

Da Bomb

Castle Siege

Hot Potato

Market Mayhem

King of the Hill

Bank Heist

Top Corner