In this series of exercises, inspired by a use of English task in Cambridge CPE examinations in the 2000's, you will need the same word to fill in the gaps in three sentences. The trick is that the word in question is usually used in different ways: it has multiple meanings, it is used in metaphorical expressions, phrasal verbs and idioms, it is converted from a noun to a verb or adjective etc. The word should be used in the same form in all three sentences: if the verb do is the answer, the sentences should not require does, doing, done, did etc.
Ex. Fill in the gaps with one word. The same word in the same form is needed in each of the three sentences.
1. When the man promised I'd earn millions by selling cryptocurrencies, it was a ___ light to me.
It's Chris's stag night. Let's go out and paint the town ___.
The thief left a false clue; it was a ___ herring.
It's Chris's stag night. Let's go out and paint the town ___.
The thief left a false clue; it was a ___ herring.
2. You didn't study for your test and you got 10% of the score. Now you have to ___ the music.
Both the ___ and the hands of the clock were painted black; it was useless, you couldn't see a thing.
Gemma trusts people and takes their opinions at ___ value.
3. The company's meetings were so long and boring nobody wanted to ___ them.
Get off your high ___, Al: being a manager doesn't mean you never make mistakes.
Our teenage son spent all his money on a special gaming ___ instead of saving.
4. I took swimming lessons as a child but I still won't swim to the ___ end of the pool.
We're between the devil and the ___ blue sea: we can sell the house cheaply or spend far too much on getting it repaired.
The celebrity expressed her ___ apology following the scandal she had caused last week.
5. The smoke alarm went ___ for no reason, but we still had to leave the building.
The milk was left on the counter for three days and it went ___.
Don't just sit there, get ___ the couch and help me.
6. I'll have a double hamburger and large ___ fries.
Don't listen to him, he's a #*%@, pardon my ___.
They have a ___ window in the living room and can access the garden from there or the front lawn.
7. I'm feeling off ___ today. I had a bad headache all night.
100% on your exam? Oh, ___ me impressed!
Attending English lessons at school may be easy, but studying for a degree in English Language and Literature is a horse of another ___.
8. Don't ___ the dog without asking the owner first. It could bite you.
Developing organic plastic made from seaweed was a ___ of genius.
The vampire appeared at the ___ of midnight.
KEY
1. red, 2. face, 3. chair, 4. deep, 5. off, 6. French (in the first and third sentence some native speakers spell it "french"), 7. colour, 8. stroke
