This is a 30-minute Verbal Reasoning depth practice on meaning, styled on GL Assessment 11+ multiple-choice papers. It is a second, all-new set of meaning-focused questions on this topic. There are 40 questions across five sections: Closest Meaning, Opposite Meaning, Odd One Out by Meaning, Shades of Meaning and Word in Context. Every question is worth 1 mark, for 40 marks in total. Difficulty increases through each section and across the pack as a whole, finishing with scholarship-level stretch questions built around words with more than one meaning. For each question, choose the ONE best answer from the options A to E. No calculator is allowed. Read every word and instruction carefully: several sections need close attention to precise shades of meaning or to how a word is being used in a sentence, so check exactly what each question is asking before choosing.
Worked example. Worked example (Closest Meaning): Choose the word closest in meaning to CANDID.
A) secretive B) frank C) formal D) nervous E) polite Answer: B. 'Candid' means open and honest in speech. 'Frank' means the same, open and honest, so it is correct. 'Secretive' means the opposite, keeping things hidden. 'Formal' describes a stiff manner of speaking, not directness. 'Nervous' describes an unrelated feeling, and 'polite' describes manners rather than truthfulness. Apply this same careful approach throughout the pack, even as the sections move from closest and opposite meaning to identifying the odd one out by meaning, judging the strength or shade of a word's meaning, and working out a word's exact meaning as used in a sentence: always check the precise meaning intended before choosing an option, and rule out any word that only sounds similar or is loosely associated rather than being the true match.
1
SECTION 1: CLOSEST MEANING (7 minutes, 10 questions)
Each question gives a word in capital letters. Choose the ONE word from the options that means most nearly the same as the word given.
Q1. Choose the word closest in meaning to BRIEF.
A) short
B) tall
C) heavy
D) narrow
E) loud
(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)
2
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q2. Choose the word closest in meaning to SWIFT.
A) slow
B) fast
C) heavy
D) quiet
E) sharp
(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)
3
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q3. Choose the word closest in meaning to ASSIST.
A) hinder
B) ignore
C) help
D) follow
E) copy
(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)
4
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q4. Choose the word closest in meaning to GENEROUS.
A) selfish
B) careful
C) wealthy
D) unselfish
E) cautious
(Total for Question 4 is 1 mark)
5
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q5. Choose the word closest in meaning to RELUCTANT.
A) eager
B) nervous
C) confused
D) careless
E) unwilling
(Total for Question 5 is 1 mark)
6
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q6. Choose the word closest in meaning to VAST.
A) huge
B) tiny
C) narrow
D) distant
E) ancient
(Total for Question 6 is 1 mark)
7
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q7. Choose the word closest in meaning to CONCEALED.
A) revealed
B) hidden
C) damaged
D) removed
E) forgotten
(Total for Question 7 is 1 mark)
8
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q8. Choose the word closest in meaning to METICULOUS.
A) careless
B) hurried
C) careful
D) confident
E) generous
(Total for Question 8 is 1 mark)
9
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q9. Choose the word closest in meaning to AUDACIOUS.
A) timid
B) modest
C) polite
D) bold
E) careful
(Total for Question 9 is 1 mark)
10
(CLOSEST MEANING) Q10. Choose the word closest in meaning to DILIGENT.
A) lazy
B) careless
C) impatient
D) forgetful
E) hard-working
(Total for Question 10 is 1 mark)
11
SECTION 2: OPPOSITE MEANING (7 minutes, 10 questions)
Each question gives a word in capital letters. Choose the ONE word from the options that means most nearly OPPOSITE to the word given.
Q1. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to ANCIENT.
A) modern
B) old
C) historic
D) ruined
E) faded
(Total for Question 11 is 1 mark)
12
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q2. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to GENUINE.
A) real
B) fake
C) honest
D) rare
E) valuable
(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)
13
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q3. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to ABUNDANT.
A) plentiful
B) common
C) scarce
D) fresh
E) large
(Total for Question 13 is 1 mark)
14
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q4. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to CAUTIOUS.
A) careful
B) nervous
C) confident
D) reckless
E) slow
(Total for Question 14 is 1 mark)
15
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q5. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to PERMIT.
A) allow
B) request
C) suggest
D) accept
E) forbid
(Total for Question 15 is 1 mark)
16
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q6. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to EXPAND.
A) shrink
B) grow
C) stretch
D) rise
E) spread
(Total for Question 16 is 1 mark)
17
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q7. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to PUNCTUAL.
A) early
B) late
C) prompt
D) quick
E) careful
(Total for Question 17 is 1 mark)
18
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q8. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to HUMBLE.
A) modest
B) shy
C) arrogant
D) polite
E) quiet
(Total for Question 18 is 1 mark)
19
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q9. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to TRANSPARENT.
A) clear
B) shiny
C) fragile
D) opaque
E) flexible
(Total for Question 19 is 1 mark)
20
(OPPOSITE MEANING) Q10. Choose the word most nearly opposite in meaning to BENEVOLENT.
A) kind
B) generous
C) wealthy
D) famous
E) malicious
(Total for Question 20 is 1 mark)
21
SECTION 3: ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING (6 minutes, 8 questions)
Four of the five words in each question share a very similar meaning. Choose the ONE word that does NOT belong with the others.
Q1. Which word does not belong?
A) gloomy
B) joyful
C) cheerful
D) delighted
E) glad
(Total for Question 21 is 1 mark)
22
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q2. Which word does not belong?
A) courageous
B) timid
C) bold
D) daring
E) fearless
(Total for Question 22 is 1 mark)
23
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q3. Which word does not belong?
A) start
B) commence
C) finish
D) launch
E) initiate
(Total for Question 23 is 1 mark)
24
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q4. Which word does not belong?
A) enormous
B) gigantic
C) massive
D) tiny
E) immense
(Total for Question 24 is 1 mark)
25
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q5. Which word does not belong?
A) peaceful
B) tranquil
C) serene
D) restful
E) chaotic
(Total for Question 25 is 1 mark)
26
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q6. Which word does not belong?
A) generous
B) miserly
C) tight-fisted
D) mean
E) stingy
(Total for Question 26 is 1 mark)
27
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q7. Which word does not belong?
A) articulate
B) tongue-tied
C) fluent
D) expressive
E) persuasive
(Total for Question 27 is 1 mark)
28
(ODD ONE OUT BY MEANING) Q8. Which word does not belong?
A) thorough
B) painstaking
C) careless
D) exacting
E) precise
(Total for Question 28 is 1 mark)
29
SECTION 4: SHADES OF MEANING (5 minutes, 6 questions)
Each question asks you to choose the word that best matches a specific degree or strength of meaning, compared with a given word.
Q1. Which of these words means much hotter than 'warm'?
A) cool
B) mild
C) tepid
D) scalding
E) chilly
(Total for Question 29 is 1 mark)
30
(SHADES OF MEANING) Q2. Which of these words describes a much stronger degree of anger than 'annoyed'?
A) irritated
B) cross
C) calm
D) content
E) furious
(Total for Question 30 is 1 mark)
31
(SHADES OF MEANING) Q3. Which of these words describes the greatest degree of wetness?
A) drenched
B) damp
C) moist
D) clammy
E) dry
(Total for Question 31 is 1 mark)
32
(SHADES OF MEANING) Q4. Which of these words describes the greatest degree of tiredness?
A) sleepy
B) exhausted
C) weary
D) awake
E) rested
(Total for Question 32 is 1 mark)
33
(SHADES OF MEANING) Q5. Which of these words means 'dislike' but to a much stronger degree, close to hatred?
A) prefer
B) mind
C) detest
D) tolerate
E) appreciate
(Total for Question 33 is 1 mark)
34
(SHADES OF MEANING) Q6. Which of these words describes the mildest degree of fear, rather than being terrified?
A) terrified
B) petrified
C) panicked
D) uneasy
E) horrified
(Total for Question 34 is 1 mark)
35
SECTION 5: WORD IN CONTEXT (5 minutes, 6 questions)
Each question gives a sentence containing a word with more than one possible meaning. Choose the ONE option that gives the meaning of the word AS USED in that sentence.
Q1. In the sentence below, what does the word 'fair' mean?
'Miss Okafor gave every pupil in the class a fair mark based on their effort.'
A) pale
B) sunny
C) frequent
D) light
E) just
(Total for Question 35 is 1 mark)
36
(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q2. In the sentence below, what does the word 'spring' mean?
'After the long drought, farmer Callum Wright hoped the spring would bring plenty of rain.'
A) the season after winter
B) a coil of metal
C) a sudden jump
D) a source of water
E) to leap upward
(Total for Question 36 is 1 mark)
37
(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q3. In the sentence below, what does the word 'bark' mean?
'Priya's dog began to bark loudly at the postman.'
A) the outer covering of a tree
B) the sound a dog makes
C) a small boat
D) to peel something
E) rough skin
(Total for Question 37 is 1 mark)
38
(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q4. In the sentence below, what does the word 'bear' mean?
'Maya could not bear the thought of moving away from her friends.'
A) a large wild animal
B) to give birth
C) to endure or tolerate
D) to carry a weight
E) to point in a direction
(Total for Question 38 is 1 mark)
39
(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q5. In the sentence below, what does the word 'sound' mean?
'The lawyer, Mr Adebayo, presented a sound argument that convinced the jury.'
A) a noise
B) a narrow stretch of water
C) safe and healthy
D) well-reasoned and reliable
E) to measure depth
(Total for Question 39 is 1 mark)
40
(WORD IN CONTEXT) Q6. In the sentence below, what does the word 'temper' mean?
'Despite the criticism, the author Freya Campbell refused to temper her strong opinions in the final chapter.'
A) a fit of anger
B) to strengthen metal by heating
C) a natural disposition
D) to mix ingredients together
E) to soften or moderate
(Total for Question 40 is 1 mark)
Mark scheme · EP.V37 Verbal Reasoning: Closest and Opposite Meaning Set 2
Question 1
B1 A) short - means lasting only a little time, the same core meaning as 'brief'.
Answer: A) short
Question 2
B1 B) fast - means moving quickly, the same core meaning as 'swift'.
Answer: B) fast
Question 3
B1 C) help - is the direct synonym of 'assist'.
Answer: C) help
Question 4
B1 D) unselfish - means willing to give freely, the same core meaning as 'generous'.
Answer: D) unselfish
Question 5
B1 E) unwilling - is the direct synonym of 'reluctant'.
Answer: E) unwilling
Question 6
B1 A) huge - means extremely large, the same core meaning as 'vast'.
Answer: A) huge
Question 7
B1 B) hidden - is the direct synonym of 'concealed'.
Answer: B) hidden
Question 8
B1 C) careful - means showing great attention to detail, the same core meaning as 'meticulous'.
Answer: C) careful
Question 9
B1 D) bold - means willing to take risks, the same core meaning as 'audacious'.
Answer: D) bold
Question 10
B1 E) hard-working - is the direct synonym of 'diligent'.
Answer: E) hard-working
Question 11
B1 A) modern - is the direct opposite of 'ancient' (very old).
Answer: A) modern
Question 12
B1 B) fake - is the direct opposite of 'genuine' (real, authentic).
Answer: B) fake
Question 13
B1 C) scarce - is the direct opposite of 'abundant' (existing in large quantities).
Answer: C) scarce
Question 14
B1 D) reckless - is the direct opposite of 'cautious' (careful to avoid danger).
Answer: D) reckless
Question 15
B1 E) forbid - is the direct opposite of 'permit' (to allow).
Answer: E) forbid
Question 16
B1 A) shrink - is the direct opposite of 'expand' (to grow larger).
Answer: A) shrink
Question 17
B1 B) late - is the direct opposite of 'punctual' (arriving on time).
Answer: B) late
Question 18
B1 C) arrogant - is the direct opposite of 'humble' (modest about one's abilities).
Answer: C) arrogant
Question 19
B1 D) opaque - is the direct opposite of 'transparent' (able to be seen through).
Answer: D) opaque
Question 20
B1 E) malicious - is the direct opposite of 'benevolent' (kind and well-meaning).
Answer: E) malicious
Question 21
B1 A) gloomy - means sad or low in spirits, the opposite feeling to the happiness shared by the other four words.
Answer: A) gloomy
Question 22
B1 B) timid - means easily frightened, the opposite of the bravery shared by the other four words.
Answer: B) timid
Question 23
B1 C) finish - means to end something, the opposite of beginning, which is what the other four words mean.
Answer: C) finish
Question 24
B1 D) tiny - means very small, the opposite of the great size shared by the other four words.
Answer: D) tiny
Question 25
B1 E) chaotic - means disordered and confused, the opposite of the calm shared by the other four words.
Answer: E) chaotic
Question 26
B1 A) generous - means willing to give freely, the opposite of the unwillingness to spend shared by the other four words.
Answer: A) generous
Question 27
B1 B) tongue-tied - means unable to speak clearly, the opposite of the skilful speech shared by the other four words.
Answer: B) tongue-tied
Question 28
B1 C) careless - means lacking attention to detail, the opposite of the thoroughness shared by the other four words.
Answer: C) careless
Question 29
B1 D) scalding - describes an extreme degree of heat, far beyond 'warm'.
Answer: D) scalding
Question 30
B1 E) furious - describes extreme anger, far stronger than the mild irritation of 'annoyed'.
Answer: E) furious
Question 31
B1 A) drenched - describes being completely soaked through, the strongest degree of wetness among the options.
Answer: A) drenched
Question 32
B1 B) exhausted - describes complete tiredness, the strongest degree among the options.
Answer: B) exhausted
Question 33
B1 C) detest - describes an intense dislike, close in strength to hatred, far stronger than the other options.
Answer: C) detest
Question 34
B1 D) uneasy - describes only a mild sense of worry or nervousness, far weaker than the extreme fear described by the other options.
Answer: D) uneasy
Question 35
B1 E) just - in this sentence 'fair' means just and reasonable, describing how the marks were awarded.
Answer: E) just
Question 36
B1 A) the season after winter - in this sentence 'spring' means the season that follows winter, when rain was hoped for.
Answer: A) the season after winter
Question 37
B1 B) the sound a dog makes - in this sentence 'bark' means the sharp sound a dog makes.
Answer: B) the sound a dog makes
Question 38
B1 C) to endure or tolerate - in this sentence 'bear' means to put up with something.
Answer: C) to endure or tolerate
Question 39
B1 D) well-reasoned and reliable - in this sentence 'sound' describes the quality of the argument.
Answer: D) well-reasoned and reliable
Question 40
B1 E) to soften or moderate - in this sentence 'temper' refers to the author's refusal to hold back her opinions.