AmbifulWorksheets
Practice that never repeats
CBSE · Class 12 · English

Words in Context

Standard difficulty · 20 questions · 40 marks

Name: Date: Score: ____ / 40

Write full answers in Sections B and C. Answers are on the last page — try every question first!

Section A — Choose the correct answer8 × 1 = 8 marks
1.
In the sentence “The singer gave an impeccable performance.”, the word “impeccable” means:
  1. without any fault
  2. full of strong enthusiasm for a cause
  3. lasting only a very short time
  4. the quality of being open and honest
2.
In the sentence “The acrimonious debate ended without any agreement.”, the word “acrimonious” means:
  1. angry and bitter
  2. lacking confidence in yourself
  3. full of strong enthusiasm for a cause
  4. to show that someone was right or not guilty
3.
In the sentence “The recalcitrant students refused to leave the hall.”, the word “recalcitrant” means:
  1. meant to impress people with wealth
  2. very careful to do what is honest and right
  3. refusing to obey or co-operate
  4. speaking or writing well and persuasively
4.
In the sentence “The textbook gives a lucid explanation of photosynthesis.”, the word “lucid” means:
  1. fond of the company of others
  2. to make someone less angry
  3. speaking or writing well and persuasively
  4. clearly expressed and easy to understand
5.
In the sentence “Being gregarious, Kabir made friends on the first day of college.”, the word “gregarious” means:
  1. no longer used because something newer exists
  2. having more than one possible meaning
  3. fond of the company of others
  4. refusing to give up
6.
In the sentence “Coastal villages proved resilient after the cyclone.”, the word “resilient” means:
  1. speaking or writing well and persuasively
  2. able to recover quickly from difficulty
  3. to make a bad situation worse
  4. to make something less harmful or serious
7.
In the sentence “Be circumspect when sharing personal information online.”, the word “circumspect” means:
  1. to put an end to something, usually by force
  2. the quality of being open and honest
  3. speaking or writing well and persuasively
  4. careful to consider all risks before acting
8.
In the sentence “The new evidence will vindicate the accused man.”, the word “vindicate” means:
  1. to make a bad situation worse
  2. to make someone less angry
  3. to show that someone was right or not guilty
  4. refusing to obey or co-operate
Section B — Short answer8 × 2 = 16 marks
9.
Complete the sentence with the right word (gullible / magnanimous / whimsical): ____ people often fall for online lottery scams.
10.
Complete the sentence with the right word (fastidious / alleviate / resilient): The medicine will ____ the pain.
11.
Complete the sentence with the right word (diffident / meticulous / placate): The manager offered a refund to ____ the customer.
12.
Complete the sentence with the right word (magnanimous / innocuous / ambiguous): The ____ winner praised her opponent.
13.
Complete the sentence with the right word (scrupulous / tenacious / cogent): A ____ accountant never hides any expense.
14.
Complete the sentence with the right word (fastidious / ambiguous / discern): The question was ____, so the students answered it in two ways.
15.
Write the meaning of each word in your own words: “whimsical”, “cogent”.
16.
Write the meaning of each word in your own words: “diffident”, “meticulous”.
Section C — Longer answers4 × 4 = 16 marks
17.
Fill in each blank with a word from the box. One word is not needed.
Box: taciturn, sagacious, bolster, zealous, discern
(1) The ____ volunteers planted a thousand saplings.
(2) The ____ elder settled the dispute fairly.
(3) It is hard to ____ the truth from rumours.
(4) The ____ watchman only nodded when we passed.
18.
Fill in each blank with a word from the box. One word is not needed.
Box: pragmatic, exacerbate, innocuous, nonchalant, laconic
(1) The question seemed ____, but it upset him.
(2) She looked ____ even as the deadline came close.
(3) Burning crop stubble can ____ air pollution.
(4) The council took a ____ approach to fixing the roads.
19.
Write one sentence of your own for each word, showing what it means: “obsolete”, “tenacious”.
20.
Write one sentence of your own for each word, showing what it means: “venerate”, “ostentatious”.
AmbifulWorksheets
Practice that never repeats
CBSE · Class 12 · English

Answer key

Words in Context · AW-12E-CTX-2026-V1 · For parents — fold back or tear off before handing the sheet to your child.

QAnswerWorking
1(a) without any fault—
2(a) angry and bitter—
3(c) refusing to obey or co-operate—
4(d) clearly expressed and easy to understand—
5(c) fond of the company of others—
6(b) able to recover quickly from difficulty—
7(d) careful to consider all risks before acting—
8(c) to show that someone was right or not guilty—
9gullibleGullible: too easily believing what you are told.
10alleviateAlleviate: to make pain or a problem less severe.
11placatePlacate: to make someone less angry.
12magnanimousMagnanimous: generous and forgiving, especially towards a rival.
13scrupulousScrupulous: very careful to do what is honest and right.
14ambiguousAmbiguous: having more than one possible meaning.
15whimsical: playfully unusual and unexpected; cogent: clear, logical and convincingAny wording with the same meaning.
16diffident: lacking confidence in yourself; meticulous: showing great attention to detailAny wording with the same meaning.
17(1) zealous (2) sagacious (3) discern (4) taciturn; not needed: bolster—
18(1) innocuous (2) nonchalant (3) exacerbate (4) pragmatic; not needed: laconic—
19Sample: Floppy disks have become obsolete. The tenacious lawyer fought the case for ten years.Any sentence that uses each word correctly and makes its meaning clear.
20Sample: The villagers venerate their oldest teacher. The ostentatious wedding had fireworks and a hundred cars.Any sentence that uses each word correctly and makes its meaning clear.