(1) to check your bank balance (= to find out how much money there is in your account)
(2) The balance of $500 must be paid within 90 days.
(3) Try to keep a balance between work and relaxation.

(1) The first edition was published in 2002.
(2) He works for a company that publishes reference books.
(3) Most of our titles are also published on CD-ROM.

(1) a political/spiritual, etc. leader
(2) the leader of the party
(3) union leaders

(1) "Kathleen" was, as its 1892 subtitle asserted, "An irish Drama".
(2) "How do you know he's irish?" —"Sticks out a mile."
(3) Her irish accent, after thirty-odd years in London, is undiluted.

(1) a two-year diploma course
(2) She is taking a diploma in management studies.
(3) a High School diploma

(1) My mother sends her greetings to you all.
(2) Christmas/birthday, etc. greetings
(3) He raised his hand in greeting .

(1) a research scientist
(2) nuclear scientists
(3) scientists and engineers

(1) We must have been burgled while we were asleep.
(2) Her parents died while she was still at school.
(3) while I was waiting at the bus stop, three buses went by in the opposite direction.

(1) ...a drawing of my granddaughter Amelia.
(2) I got a present for my baby granddaughter in a hurry.
(3) My young granddaughter is as pretty as a picture in her party dress.

(1) She was not used to mixing with people of high social rank.
(2) He rose through the ranks to become managing director.
(3) He eventually rose to the rank of captain...

(1) grandpa was not yet back from the war.
(2) grandpa Zhang grows several pots of violets in the overhead terrace.
(3) The second day grandpa called me and asked about them.

(1) She tied the newspapers in a bundle.
(2) He had to tie her hands together.
(3) They tied him to a chair with cable.

(1) I need to consult with my colleagues on the proposals.
(2) He consulted the manual.
(3) I expect to be consulted about major issues.

(1) Just say yes or no.
(2) ‘Are you ready? ’ ‘no, I'm not. ’
(3) Sorry, the answer's no.

(1) Getting a visa isn't as simple as you might suppose.
(2) Prices will go up, I suppose .
(3) This combination of qualities is generally supposed to be extremely rare.

(1) A little later I left that place and never set foot in Texas again.
(2) I asked the driver to put his foot down for Nagchukha.
(3) Our chairman has really put his foot in it, poor man, though he doesn't know it.

(1) a football/baseball, etc. team
(2) a team event (= one played by groups of people rather than individual players)
(3) (British English)Whose team are you in?

(1) In all our products the accent is on quality.
(2) In ‘today ’ the accent is on the second syllable.
(3) Canapé has an accent on the ‘e ’.

(1) to have gained practical experience of the work
(2) practical advice/help/support
(3) practical problems

(1) to celebrate your wedding anniversary
(2) the theatre's 25th anniversary celebrations
(3) on the anniversary of his wife's death

(1) A second terminal was opened in 1998.
(2) a railway/bus/ferry terminal
(3) a positive/negative terminal

(1) The climber slipped and dropped to his death.
(2) Temperatures can drop to freezing at night...
(3) Once the rate rises it never drops back to its previous level...

(1) You could tell that he had really done his homework (= found out all he needed to know) .
(2) I have to write up the notes for homework .
(3) How much homework do you get?

(1) a stupid mistake
(2) It was a pretty stupid thing to do.
(3) I was stupid enough to believe him.

(1) a piece of bent wire
(2) Do this exercise with your knees bent (= not with your legs straight) .
(3) a small bent old woman

(1) It'll cost a lot─well, take a lot of time, but it amounts to the same thing .
(2) Their actions amount to a breach of contract.
(3) Her answer amounted to a complete refusal.

(1) Are you absolutely certain about this?
(2) I'm not certain who was there.
(3) To my certain knowledge he was somewhere else at the time (= I am sure about it) .

(1) He has been Milan's most consistent player this season.
(2) We must be consistent in applying the rules.
(3) a consistent approach to the problem

(1) classroom activities
(2) the use of computers in the classroom
(3) There are thirty people in the classroom, counting the teacher.

(1) ‘Are you really an artist? ’ Sara asked curiously.
(2) His clothes were curiously old-fashioned.
(3) curiously enough, a year later exactly the same thing happened again.

(1) They knelt down and prayed.
(2) I'll pray for you.
(3) to pray for peace

(1) Sugar is an important crop on the island.
(2) crop rotation/production/yield
(3) The crops are regularly sprayed with pesticides.

(1) ...Schubert's B flat Piano Trio (Opus 99).
(2) Her voice was flat, with no question or hope in it.
(3) 'Whatever you say,' he said in a deadly flat voice. 'I'll sit here and wait.'...

(1) The book sold 20 000 copies within two weeks.
(2) The subeditors prepare the reporters' copy for the paper and write the headlines.
(3) This will make great copy for the advertisement.

(1) Philip went into his room and shut the door behind him.
(2) I can't shut my suitcase─it's too full.
(3) She shut her eyes and fell asleep immediately.

(1) We were badly bitten by mosquitoes.
(2) She was bitten by the family dog.
(3) Stop biting your nails!

(1) She is a shining example of what people with disabilities can achieve.
(2) He is a captain who leads by example .
(3) It would be a mistake to follow his example .

(1) She packed one change of underwear.
(2) ...a couple who went for a late-night swim in their underwear.
(3) ...a change of underwear.

(1) twist the wire to form a circle.
(2) He grabbed me and twisted my arm behind my back.
(3) Her face twisted in anger.

(1) a loaf/slice/piece of bread
(2) white/brown/wholemeal bread
(3) ...a loaf of bread...