Word Relationships
Contronyms
A few words can mean one thing and also its exact opposite.
1 Observe
Read both meanings of each word. How can one word do both?
- Dust (clean) To remove dust from something.
- Dust (add) To sprinkle a fine powder over something.
- Sanction (allow) To give official permission.
- Sanction (punish) To impose a penalty on someone.
2 Discover
A contronym is a word with two opposite meanings. You dust a shelf to take dust off, but you dust a cake with sugar to put some on. The rest of the sentence always shows which meaning is meant.
3 Apply
The bank ____ Vikram's education loan, so he can join college in Chennai.
Appa dusted the gulab jamuns with sugar. What did he do?
Everyone went home after the match; only Meera was left. Here 'left' means:
4 Create
Write two sentences using 'dust' with its two opposite meanings.
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Example: Before the guests came, Joseph dusted the shelves and his sister dusted the cake with sugar.
5 Explore
Open the contronym cards and find the clue words that decide the meaning.