Polymorphism is a key concept in object-oriented programming that allows one interface to be used for different data types or actions. It helps write flexible and maintainable code by letting objects behave differently based on their class. Understanding how polymorphism works is often tested in technical exams and interviews. That’s why practicing “polymorphism means MCQ” type questions is useful for students and professionals alike. These multiple-choice questions help strengthen your grasp on compile-time and runtime polymorphism, method overloading, method overriding, and related topics. This article offers a wide range of MCQs to help you review and test your knowledge effectively.
Polymorphism Means MCQ
Q1. What does polymorphism literally mean?
A) Single form
B) Many forms
C) No form
D) One form
Answer: B
Q2. Polymorphism in programming refers to:
A) Code duplication
B) Same interface, multiple implementations
C) Static memory only
D) Private inheritance
Answer: B
Q3. Which type of polymorphism is achieved by method overloading?
A) Runtime polymorphism
B) Compile‑time polymorphism
C) Subtype polymorphism
D) Generic polymorphism
Answer: B
Q4. Which keyword in C++ enables runtime polymorphism?
A) override
B) const
C) virtual
D) static
Answer: C
Q5. Method overriding in Java supports which polymorphism?
A) Compile‑time
B) Runtime
C) Parametric
D) None
Answer: B
Q6. Templates in C++ support which kind of polymorphism?
A) Runtime
B) Subtype
C) Parametric
D) Operator
Answer: C
Q7. Which of the following best describes subtype polymorphism?
A) Use of templates
B) Overloading operator
C) Treat subclass as superclass
D) Method signature change
Answer: C
Q8. In MCQs, “Polymorphism means ___” – correct fill:
A) Single behavior
B) Many behaviors
C) Method overriding
D) Inheritance
Answer: B
Q9. Which is true about overloaded methods?
A) Must differ by return type only
B) Must differ by parameters
C) Must use virtual keyword
D) Must be static
Answer: B
Q10. Which can’t participate in polymorphism in C++?
A) Virtual methods
B) Static methods
C) Overloaded methods
D) Operator overloading
Answer: B
Q11. A base class pointer pointing to derived class object demonstrates:
A) Compile‑time polymorphism
B) Parametric
C) Subtype
D) Operator
Answer: C
Q12. Which demonstrates compile‑time binding?
A) Method overriding
B) Overloading
C) Dynamic dispatch
D) Substituting subclass
Answer: B
Q13. In Java, static methods:
A) Support overriding
B) Do not support polymorphism
C) Use dynamic binding
D) Use super keyword
Answer: B
Q14. Covariant return types are allowed in:
A) Overloading
B) Runtime overriding
C) Templates
D) Interfaces
Answer: B
Q15. Which operator overloading is allowed in C++?
A) &&
B) +=
C) <<
D) .
Answer: C
Q16. Which real‑life example fits polymorphism?
A) Father/husband/employee roles
B) Single responsibility
C) Static allocation
D) Global variables
Answer: A
Q17. Virtual destructor ensures:
A) Proper cleanup via base pointer
B) Faster execution
C) Private member access
D) Multiple inheritance
Answer: A
Q18. Private methods in Java:
A) Can be overridden
B) Support runtime polymorphism
C) Are not polymorphic
D) Are virtual by default
Answer: C
Q19. In Java, main() method:
A) Can be overridden
B) Cannot be overloaded
C) Can be overloaded
D) Must be final
Answer: C
Q20. Which MCQ option describes dynamic dispatch?
A) Compile binding
B) Overloading
C) Method selection at runtime
D) Template instantiation
Answer: C
Q21. Which of these supports parametric polymorphism?
A) C++ templates
B) Java final class
C) Virtual functions
D) Static members
Answer: A
Q22. Using a superclass variable to refer to subclass objects is called:
A) Downcasting
B) Upcasting
C) Overloading
D) None
Answer: B
Q23. Which of the following is true about overriding?
A) Two methods same name and signature in same class
B) Parent and child method name same and signature same
C) Signature must differ
D) Only return type differs
Answer: B
Q24. Which MCQ option identifies compile‑time overloading?
A) Operator overloading
B) Virtual method
C) Downcasting
D) Interface
Answer: A
Q25. In Java, reference type determines:
A) Which method executes
B) Which methods can be called
C) Which class loaded
D) Memory size
Answer: B
Q26. Which prevents a method from being overridden in Java?
A) private keyword
B) static keyword
C) final keyword
D) protected keyword
Answer: C
Q27. Polymorphism is not possible in which language:
A) Java
B) C++
C) Ada
D) Assembly
Answer: D
Q28. Liskov substitution principle relates to:
A) Parametric polymorphism
B) Subtype polymorphism
C) Compile‑time overloading
D) Templates
Answer: B
Q29. Polymorphism is tested in MCQs often by asking about:
A) Memory allocation
B) “Many forms”
C) Bits and bytes
D) Global variables
Answer: B
Q30. Which is not a type of polymorphism?
A) Compile‑time
B) Runtime
C) Structural
D) Parametric
Answer: C
Q31. Dynamic method dispatch in Java uses:
A) virtual keyword
B) interface
C) overriding
D) overloading
Answer: C
Q32. Java’s instanceof operator helps with:
A) Overloading
B) Type checking for polymorphism
C) Final methods
D) Templates
Answer: B
Q33. Which statement about subtype polymorphism is valid?
A) Works only with static typing
B) Allows base class reference refer subclass
C) Requires templates
D) Works only with operator overloading
Answer: B
Q34. Method overloading cannot vary by:
A) Number of parameters
B) Types of parameters
C) Return type alone
D) Parameter sequence
Answer: C
Q35. Which is required for runtime polymorphism in C++?
A) inline keyword
B) virtual functions
C) static methods
D) templates
Answer: B
Q36. Which MCQ question often hints at subtype polymorphism?
A) Templates in C++
B) Using subclass through base variable
C) Overloading arithmetic operators
D) Virtual destructor
Answer: B
Q37. Static binding refers to:
A) Compile‑time method selection
B) Runtime decision
C) Subtype behavior
D) Interface usage
Answer: A
Q38. Overriding method can have:
A) More restrictive access modifier
B) Covariant return type
C) Fewer parameters
D) Static keyword
Answer: B
Q39. Python supports polymorphism via:
A) Templates
B) Duck typing and method overriding
C) virtual keyword
D) Static binding
Answer: B
Q40. Which is valid for compile‑time polymorphism?
A) Templates
B) Overriding
C) Virtual functions
D) Subclasses
Answer: A
Q41. Which use-case is MCQ-friendly example of polymorphism?
A) Function print() doing different tasks per class
B) Static variable sharing
C) Global constant reuse
D) Private inheritance
Answer: A
Q42. Java allows polymorphism through:
A) Method overloading only
B) Method overriding only
C) Both overloading and overriding
D) Interface only
Answer: C
Q43. Which ensures subclass objects are cleaned properly via base pointer in C++?
A) static destructor
B) non‑virtual destructor
C) virtual destructor
D) inline destructor
Answer: C
Q44. Which binding is faster in execution?
A) Dynamic binding
B) Static binding
C) Parametric binding
D) Subtype binding
Answer: B
Q45. Which of the following cannot be overridden in Java?
A) abstract method
B) final method
C) interface method
D) protected method
Answer: B
Q46. Which is true for operator overloading in C++?
A) Overload && possible
B) Only << and >> allowed
C) Many operators can be overloaded
D) Constructor overloading
Answer: C
Q47. Which MCQ option matches polymorphism in interview context?
A) Code duplication
B) One interface, many behaviours
C) Private inheritance
D) Data encapsulation
Answer: B
Q48. Descriptors of compile‑time polymorphism include:
A) virtual functions
B) overloading
C) base class pointers
D) runtime decision
Answer: B
Q49. Which of these is subtype polymorphism?
A) Template class
B) Derived class instance via base class reference
C) Static method call
D) Constructor overloading
Answer: B
Q50. Polymorphism MCQ often expects the Greek-origin meaning, which is:
A) many forms
B) same form
C) no form
D) final form
Answer: A
Q51. In method overriding, method signatures must be:
A) Completely different
B) Exactly the same
C) Only class name same
D) Parameter names must match
Answer: B
Q52. Which of the following is not a valid example of polymorphism?
A) Method overriding
B) Method overloading
C) Inheritance
D) Static block execution
Answer: D
Q53. Which language supports both compile-time and runtime polymorphism?
A) HTML
B) Java
C) SQL
D) CSS
Answer: B
Q54. What’s the main advantage of polymorphism?
A) Less memory usage
B) Code flexibility and reuse
C) Speed
D) Simplified syntax
Answer: B
Q55. Which type of polymorphism needs late binding?
A) Compile-time
B) Runtime
C) Operator
D) Parametric
Answer: B
Q56. Which of the following types is NOT polymorphism?
A) Static
B) Dynamic
C) Inheritance
D) Parametric
Answer: C
Q57. Which binding type does the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) use for overridden methods?
A) Static
B) Early
C) Late
D) Final
Answer: C
Q58. Which of these is required to achieve polymorphism in Java?
A) Multiple main methods
B) Interfaces or inheritance
C) Packages
D) Constructors
Answer: B
Q59. Which principle allows a subclass to define its own behavior while using a base
class interface?
A) Abstraction
B) Inheritance
C) Polymorphism
D) Encapsulation
Answer: C
Q60. In function overriding, which method is executed?
A) Superclass method
B) Compiler-chosen method
C) Subclass method
D) Constructor
Answer: C
Q61. Which polymorphism type involves same method name with different signatures?
A) Method overriding
B) Method overloading
C) Abstract method
D) Static block
Answer: B
Q62. Can private methods be polymorphic in Java?
A) Yes
B) No
C) Only in final classes
D) Only via interface
Answer: B
Q63. Which feature is used to achieve runtime polymorphism in Java?
A) final keyword
B) static method
C) method overriding
D) abstract class
Answer: C
Q64. Which of the following supports duck typing?
A) Java
B) C++
C) Python
D) C
Answer: C
Q65. Which allows object substitution for flexible coding in OOP?
A) Encapsulation
B) Liskov Substitution Principle
C) Constructor overloading
D) Static keyword
Answer: B
Q66. Polymorphism improves:
A) Compile time
B) Runtime errors
C) Code scalability
D) Global variable access
Answer: C
Q67. Which is an invalid polymorphic statement in Java?
A) A method can be overridden
B) A static method can be overridden
C) A method can be overloaded
D) A base reference can point to subclass object
Answer: B
Q68. Polymorphism is a feature of:
A) Functional Programming
B) Object-Oriented Programming
C) Procedural Programming
D) Assembly Programming
Answer: B
Q69. Overloading functions in C++ happens during:
A) Execution time
B) Compilation time
C) Runtime only
D) Link time
Answer: B
Q70. What is true about overridden methods?
A) Defined in same class
B) Have different names
C) Must belong to parent-child class relationship
D) Use different return types
Answer: C
Wrapping Up
To sum up, understanding polymorphism helps you write cleaner and more flexible code, especially in object-oriented programming. Whether it’s compile-time or runtime, knowing how and when to apply it can make a big difference in real-world development. Practicing through quizzes like polymorphism means mcq not only sharpens your concepts but also prepares you for exams and interviews. Each question gives you a new way to think about how functions and methods behave in different scenarios. Keep learning, keep testing, and soon you’ll find these topics much easier to understand and apply in your coding journey.
