Ambiguous words

The following sentences have two different meanings, due to the ambiguity of the words in italics. Explain the two meanings of each sentence.

1. She was driving on the right side of the road.

2. He's very fair.

3. She was a very funny girl.

4. Half the workers in the factory are idle.

5. They did not recognise the new President.

6. She's a very curious person.

7. It's a very cheap newspaper.

8. They are expected to arrive at seven.

9. My grandfather was a very powerful man. (j) I thought he was rather suspicious.

(k) She was very jealous of her husband's reputation.

(I) She likes to entertain people.

(m) John should know the answer.

(n) He didn't appeal to me.

(o) The Morning News is a popular newspaper.

(p) He might have phoned.

(q) I'm afraid I'm not prepared to leave yet.

(r) The teacher insisted that his pupils did their homework regularly,

(s) He took advantage of his friend's knowledge.

False friends

In each pair of words below, the first word is the false friend and the second is the word it is often confused with. Put each word in its correct place in the sentences which follow each pair.

1. actual (real)

present (current, existing now)

1. Carter and Bush are former American Presidents. Who is the one?

2. I've known many rich men, but he is the only millionaire I've met.

3. She used to work in advertising, but her job is in journalism.

2. ignore (deliberately take no notice of, pay no attention to)

not know

1. His speech was interrupted by loud shouts but he wisely decided to _ them and carry on.

2. How can you _ _ your teacher's name⁷ You see her every day¹

3. Well, if you . my warnings, I cannot be responsible for what happens to you.

3. formidable (causing fear, difficult to achieve) wonderful

1. It was a . party. We all enjoyed ourselves very much.

2. To prepare for that difficult exam in only three months! That's a _ task! I don't think I can do it.

3. The northern approaches to the city are protected by _ _ defences which only the strongest attack could penetrate.

4. She's a . person. Everyone likes and admires her.

4. camping (activity of holidaying in a tent)

camp-site (place for setting up tents)

1. I like to go _ in the summer.

2. We found a lovely near the sea to put up our tent.

5. morale (spirits, state of mind)

moral (right, proper, virtuous)

1. Regular mail and good food are important to maintain the _______ of soldiers during a war.

2. It was a good move financially, but from the point of view I have my doubts.

3. As we became aware of the difficulties that lay ahead, our dropped.

4. He's a very person who is guided by the highest principles.

6. frequent (go to often)

attend (go to a school or course etc., be present at)

1. Please state the name and address of the college you __________

2. Criminals are known to the clubs and bars in this street.

3. Wild animals _______the river bank at night and traps are set to catch them.

4. Delegates from twelve countries are expected to _________the meeting.

7. adequate (enough, sufficient)

suitable (right for the purpose)

1. Make sure you have ________money for the trip. 10,000 pesetas should be enough.

2. I'll come at six, or any other time you suggest.

3. Do you think this dress is _______. for tonight's party, or is it too formal^?

4. Rice-growing can only be successful if there is ______ rainfall.

8. argument (i: disagreement ii: supporting reason)

subject (something talked or written about or studied)

1. My favourite _ at school was geography.

2. He and his wife had a heated about which car to buy.

3. The best ________. against smoking is its effect on health.

4. The , of the essay we had to write was 'World Peace'.

9. eventually (finally, after a long time)

possibly (perhaps or maybe)

1. The Socialist Party will win, with a majority of over fifty.

2. After travelling all day, they ___ reached home at midnight.

3. He's arriving on Tuesday, or Wednesday.

4. At the moment he has only one shop, but he hopes to have a nationwide chain

10. dancing (activity of dance)

dance-hall (large room where people go to dance)

1. is good exercise.

2. We went to a nice in the town.

11. experience (i: previous knowledge or work ii: event)

experiment (test carried out to see result)

1. Meeting the President was an . I shall never forget.

2. We'll try an with these chemicals and see what happens.

3. This is a very responsible job, so we want someone with a lot of ________.

4. The _ _ _ of arranging the students' chairs in a semi-circle was very successful.

12. fabricate (invent, make up something false)

manufacture (make, produce in a factory)

1. To avoid suspicion, he decided to ________a completely false story.

2. This is the factory where they _ _ the new sports-car.

3. Any attempt to __________ evidence will be dealt with most severely by the courts.

4. Plans are in progress to ________ electrical appliances here, which will create much-needed jobs.

13. chauffeur (uniformed car-driver employed to drive others)

driver (person who drives a car, lorry, bus etc.)

1. The police stopped every vehicle on the motorway and asked the _______ to show his or her licence.

2. She had her own Rolls Royce and her own _____ to drive her wherever she wanted to go.

3. He works as a_________, driving ministers and civil servants from place to place.

4. Any ________about to stop, slow down or turn should clearly indicate his or her intentions to following vehicles.

14. assist (help) attend (be present at)

1. We hope a large number of people will ________the conference next week.

2. The police called for members of the public to _______ in the investigation.

3. Due to a previous engagement, the Foreign Minister will be unable to _______the meeting. A deputy will go instead.

4. Lifeboats were sent out to _______ _ the ship in difficulties.

15. pass (be successful in test, exam)

take (attempt test, exam)

1. If I . the exam, I'll celebrate by giving a party.

2. I hope you're successful in the exam. When do you ______it?

3. I _ ______. my driving test tomorrow. I hope I ________ it.

16. remark (say, make a comment)

notice (happen to see)

1. He enjoyed his stay with us, but he did . that he hadn't slept well.

2. I thought I saw a strange-looking man outside the house. Did you _ _ him?

3. I was in such a hurry that I didn't _________ what the weather was like.

4. I have often heard tourists _________favourably on the number of parks in the city.

17. souvenir (something bought or taken home as a reminder of a visit, occasion etc ) memory (something remembered, ability to remember)

1. I bought a model policeman as a ______ of my visit to London.

2. Playing football with friends is perhaps my happiest childhood.

3. I still have an old Spanish railway timetable that I kept as a ________

4. My ___________ isn't so good as I get old.

18. stamp (postage-stamp, official mark on document etc.)

print (picture made from engraved block)

1. What value _____ do I need for this letter, please?

2. Most of his work was oil paintings and water-colours but he also produced the occasional _________.

3. I bought a beautiful _________. by Hokusai, the Japanese artist.

4. At the border, the official put a ________ in my passport showing the date and place.

19. reunion (gathering of old friends, colleagues after separation)

meeting (gathering of people for social or formal discussion)

1. We have a ________at the office every Friday to talk about plans and problems.

2. I haven't seen my old school friends for 15 years. It's time someone organised a _____.

3. They're having a ________. to discuss plans for a big _____ of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Alamein.

20. sympathetic (showing sympathy or understanding, willing to listen to others' problems)

nice (pleasant)

1. She was a very ________ little girl. Everyone liked her.

2. He's usually rather impatient and unfriendly, but I must say he was very ______when I told him about my family problems.

3. It was a _______party. I enjoyed it.

4. The police were very _________to my complaint about the noise but said they could do nothing about it.

21. corps [ko\] (special military of diplomatic etc. group of people)

corpse [ko;ps] (dead body)

1. The . was examined by a pathologist to determine the cause of death.

2. Members of the Diplomatic „ have a special legal status when they are abroad.

3. There is to be a reorganization of the Royal Army Medical

4. When the king died, his ___________ was wrapped in gold robes and laid in a stone coffin.