Can you determine the meaning of the words in bold type in each of the following sentences? Explain and make some alterations in the context so as to pin down the meaning. （a） They saw her duck. （b） The ball was attractive.
No, I cannot.（a）Duck can be understood as a noun meaning a ‘kind of poultry ’or as a verb meaning ‘lower one’s head or body quickly, dodge’（b）Ball may mean a ‘round object to play a game’as well as ‘a dancing party’This ambiguity can only be eliminated by altering the context a little as ‘They saw her duck swimming in the river’in the first case or as ‘The ball was attractive with nice music and a lot of people’in the second case.
