Икоева Ирина

6. Practical tasks. Polysemy and homonymy

Task 1:

Homonymous words and their meanings:

Fare - 1. The money a passenger on public transportation has to pay. 2. The food
one eats, diet.

Flour - 1. Powder made by grinding raw grains or roots and used to make bread,
cakes, and pastry. 2. A soft white dusting powder, such as talcum powder used to
treat diaper rash.

Rite - 1. A religious or other solemn ceremony or act. 2. A social custom, practice,

or conventional act.

Soul - 1. The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as

immortal. 2. The essence or embodiment of a specified quality.

Horse - 1. A large plant-eating domesticated mammal with solid hoofs and a

flowing mane and tail. 2. A frame or structure used to support a signal, lamp, or
notice.

Beat - 1. To strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or

injure them. 2. A main rhythmic unit in music or poetry.

Which - 1. (interrogative pronoun) Asking for information specifying one or more

people or things from a definite set. 2. Used referring to something previously
mentioned when introducing a clause giving further information.

Plane - 1. A flat surface on which a straight line joining any two points on it would
wholly lie. 2. A tree in the genus Planatus, of temperate regions with lobed leaves
and bark that peels in large pieces.
Gate - 1. A hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge. 2. In
athletics and other sports, the number of competitors who will be allowed to
continue to the final event or round by eliminating or disqualifying others.

Break - 1. Interrupt (a continuity, sequence, or course). 2. A pause in work or

during an activity.

Task 2:

Homographs pronunciation and meanings:

Bow – pronounced as /bou/ means to bend the head or upper part of the body as a
sign of respect or greeting. It can also be pronounced as /bəʊ/ meaning a weapon
for shooting arrows.

Desert – pronounced as /ˈdezət/ means a waterless, desolate area of land with little
or no vegetation, typically one covered with sand. It can also be pronounced as /dɪ
ˈzɜːt/ means to abandon (a person, cause, or organization) in a way considered
disloyal or treacherous.

Lead – pronounced as /liːd/ means to go with or ahead of (someone) to show the

way. It can also be pronounced as /led/ is a chemical element with the symbol Pb.

Minute – pronounced as /ˈmɪnɪt/ refers to a unit of time equal to sixty seconds or

one sixtieth of an hour. It can also be pronounced as /maɪˈnjuːt/ meaning extremely
small; tiny.

Row – pronounced as /rəʊ/ means to propel a boat with oars. It can also be
pronounced as /raʊ/ meaning a line of items, people, or vehicles.

Rear – pronounced as /rɪər/ refers to the back part of something, especially a

building or vehicle. It can also be pronounced as /tɪər/ meaning to pull something
with sudden violence or effort.

Wind – pronounced as /wɪnd/ refers to the perceptible natural movement of the air,
especially in the form of a current of air. It can also be pronounced as /waɪnd/
meaning the perceptible natural movement of the air, especially in the form of a
current of air.

Task 3:

Proper context for homonyms:

Found - 1. (to establish) We found a new company last year.

2. (past tense of find) I found my keys under the sofa.

Lay - 1. (to put something down) Lay the table with plates and cutlery.

2. (past tense of lie) He lay on the beach all day.

Saw - 1. (a cutting tool) I need a saw to cut this wood.

2. (past tense of see) I saw the movie yesterday and it was amazing.

Pen - 1. (an instrument for writing) Please sign the form with a pen.

2. (to enclose animals within a confined space) It's time to pen the goats.

Temple - 1. (a religious building) We visited the ancient temple in the city.

2. (the side of the forehead) She gently massaged her temple to relieve the
headache.

Bill - 1. (a written account of money owed for goods or services) I received the
phone bill.

2. (a beak of a bird) A long bill is a typical feature of toucans.

Spring - 1. (a season) The flowers are blooming in the spring.

2. (to jump or move suddenly forward) The cat loves to spring from the sofa.

Air - 1. (the invisible gaseous substance) The air in the mountains is fresh and
cool.
 2. (a person who is legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that
person's death) He was the heir to the family fortune.

Team - 1. (a group of players) She joined the basketball team this year.

2. (to be full of things) The fish market was teeming with people.

Sew - 1. (to join, fasten, or repair by making stitches with a needle and thread) She
can sew custom-made clothing.

2. (to plant seeds in the ground) Farmers sow seeds to grow crops.

Task 4:

Homophones and their meanings:

Rain - water falling to earth in drops.

Reign - a period during which a sovereign rules.

Dye - to color something.

Die - to stop living.

Cent - a unit of currency.

Scent - a distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant.

Tale - a fictitious story, especially one intended to deceive.

Tail - the hind part of an animal.

Sea - the expanse of saltwater that covers most of the earth's surface.

See - to perceive with the eyes; to understand as a fact.

Weak - lacking the power to perform physically demanding tasks; lacking the force
of flavor, or other qualities that would make something pleasing or stimulating.

Week - a period of seven days, especially regarded in relation to the days of work
or leisure.

Peace - freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility.

Piece - a portion of an object or of material, produced by cutting, tearing, or
breaking the whole.

Seen - past participle of see.

Scene - the place where an incident in real life or fiction occurs

Meat - the flesh of an animal.

Meet - arrange or happen: to come together either accidentally or by design.

Steel - a hard, strong gray or bluish-gray alloy of iron with carbon and usually
other elements, used extensively as a structural and fabricating material.

Steal - take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and
without their knowledge or intention to return it.

Task 5:

1. Here, the underlined words are polysemantic and express meanings of

polysemantic words. The word 'letters' is a part of polysemantic word 'letter' which
has meanings like 'alphabet' and also 'written or printed communication' and the
word 'letters' here refers to the second meaning which shows messages received in
written form.

2. The underlined words show meanings of polysemantic words. The word 'toast' is
a part of polysemantic words 'toast' which has meanings like 'to propose a toast'
and also 'an underdone toast' and the word 'toast' here refers to the second meaning
which means to propose a toast

3. The underlined words show meanings of polysemantic words. The word 'hand'
is a part of polysemantic word 'hand' which has meanings like 'a hand of the clock'
and 'to hold a pen in one’s hand' and the word 'hand' here refers to the second
meaning.

4. The underlined words show meanings of polysemantic words. The word 'date' is
a part of polysemantic word 'date' which has meanings like 'to date back to year
1870' and also 'to have a date with sb' and the word 'date' here refers to the first
meaning, which means to have a date with somebody.

5. The underlined words are homonyms that have both the same spelling but also
different meaning. This is a classic example of such homonyms.