Choose the sentence that uses a homonym of the underlined word:
He had to tear the envelope to open it.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
A homonym is a word that is spelled the same as another but has a different meaning (and often a different pronunciation, known as a heteronym).
Original Sentence Context: "He had to tear the envelope..." uses the verb meaning to pull something apart or into pieces.
Option (1) Sentence Context: "The comedian caused the audience to tear up..." uses the noun/verb related to the salty liquid that flows from the eye.
The other options all use "tear" in the sense of ripping or a physical rip, which carries the same core meaning as the original sentence.