A familiar translation may be wrong in a particular sentence. A vocabulary-in-context question asks for the meaning that fits the passage, so start with the sentence rather than a memorised list.
Read around the word
Identify what is happening and whether the sentence describes a result, comparison or characteristic. Nearby nouns and verbs often help select the relevant sense.
Try an original example
After two unsuccessful attempts, the team adopted a fresh approach.
Here, “fresh” does not describe food. The team is changing its method after unsuccessful attempts, so “new” fits “approach.” The whole phrase determines the intended meaning.
Check the grammatical role
Is the word a noun, verb or adjective? An option may contain a real meaning of the word but fail to match its role in the sentence. Also check what a verb applies to: operating a system and water flowing are different ideas.
Substitute the meaning
Read the sentence with the candidate meaning inserted. Does it remain coherent? Reject an option that introduces an unsupported idea, then compare the remaining choices.
Keep a context notebook
Record a word with a short sentence and its meaning there. Add a second context when you encounter another sense. This is more useful than assuming every occurrence has one translation.
Diagnose the error
Did you miss a clue, choose the most familiar meaning or lack the vocabulary? Note the cause in your mistake log, then practise on a new text as part of a realistic study plan.
Exam and registration information: Education and Training Evaluation Commission. Check the receiving institution for its current requirements.