Question

The teacher _____ him to the principal’s office.
 (Choose the correct homonym to complete the sentence)
a. sent
b. cent
c. scent
d. send

Answer 1

Hint: The students should go through the options and recognize what the meaning of each option is. Then they should place each option in the sentence and see if the sentence still holds its implication. If it does not, and it changes the entire meaning, then the option is incorrect.

Complete answer: In this question, it will be helpful for the student to recall the concept of homonyms. Two words are homonyms if they are pronounced and spelt the same way but have different meanings.
Let us analyze the options given to us in this question -
Option (a.), 'sent', refers to ‘the past tense of send, which means to cause or order to be taken, directed, or transmitted to another place’.
Therefore, option (a.) is correct as it means that the teacher had sent the student to the principal’s office in the past.
Option (b.), ‘cent', refers to a ‘fractional monetary unit of several countries’.
Therefore, option (b.) is incorrect as there is no implication of a monetary unit in the sentence.
Option (c.), ‘scent', refers to a ‘distinctive odour that is pleasant’.
Therefore, option (c.) is incorrect as there is no implication of an odour in the sentence.
Option (d.), ‘send', refers to ‘to cause or order to be taken, directed, or transmitted to another place (in present tense)’.
Therefore, option (d.) is incorrect as it is in the present tense, whereas the student was sent in the past.
Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

Note: Homonyms are of two types, namely, (i) Homophones which sound the same but are often spelt differently and (ii) Homographs which have the same spelling but do not necessarily sound the same.