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Homophones are words that are pronounced alike, but different in meaning or spelling, such as the words to, too and two. Below a list of common homophones.

 

Links to info and activities about homophones:

 

About Special Ed: Homonym - Homophone Worksheets

Alan Cooper's Homonyms

All About Homophones: The Homophone Machine

PBS Kids: Between the Lions: Homophones Video

Scholastic: Super Homophone Match Game

All About Spelling: Homophones

Bizzy Bee Riddles: Homonyms, Homophones   

Enchanted Learning: Homonyms

First School Years: Homonyms, Homophones and Homographs

 

acts - things that are done, parts of a play  /  ax - a chopping tool

ad - short for advertisement  /  add - performs an addition, as in math

affect - to change  /  effect - the result

air - what we breath  /  err - make a mistake  /  heir  - someone who inherits

aisle - a path or walkway (eg. in a theatre)  /  I'll - contraction of I will  /  isle - island

allowed - permitted  /  aloud - spoken

ant - insect  /  aunt - sister of a parent

ascent - a climb upwards  /  assent - agreement

ate - past tense of eat  /  eight  -  the number

odd - strange or unusual  /  awed - in a state of wonder

awful - terrible  /  aweful - filled with awe

ball - round toy or object  /  bawl  - cry

band - a group eg. musical  /  banned - forbidden

bare - no clothes  /  bear - the animal

Barry - man's name  /  berry - small fruit  /  bury - to put or be under

base - a bottom support  /  bass - lowest music range (also instrument)

bases - plural of base  /  basis - principal part of eg. argument /  basses - plural of bass

be - to exist  /  bee - the stinging insect

beach - a sandy strip at the edge of water / beech - type of tree

bean - a legume, food  /  been - past tense of be

beat - hit  /  beet - vegetable, food

been - past tense of be  /  bin - box or container

billed - has a bill (duck) or given a request for money  /  build - construct

blew - past tense of blow  /  blue - the colour of the sky

bloc - an alliance (eg. Quebec)  /  block - square object

boar - wild pig  /  bore -  not interesting

board - a plank or piece (of wood) or a group that governs  /  bored - not interested

bode - an omen  /  bowed -  curved or the act of bowing down (to the Queen, eg.)

bold - brave  /  bowled - knocked over

bolder - more courageous  /  boulder -  large rock

bough - tree branch  /  bow - respectful bend, front of a ship

brake - stop or the device that lets you stop  /  break - shatter

bread - loaf, food  /  bred - past tense of breed

broach - raise a subject  /  brooch - ornament (jewel) pinned to clothes

brows - foreheads  /  browse - wander and look

buy - purchase  /  by - near  /  bye - say goodbye

cache - hidden storage  /  cash - money

caller - someone who calls (eg, on phone)  /  collar - ring around neck

canvas - rough cloth, surface for painting  /  canvass - survey or question

carat - a weight for precious stones (diamonds, eg.) / carrot - the vegetable  /  karat - gold measurement

cause - force or excuse  /  caws - the sound of crows

ceiling - top of a room  /  sealing - close a package or envelope or apply a seal around a window

cell - small room or spce eg. prison or basic organism or phone / sell - exchange something for money

cellar - space under main floor of a house  /  seller - someone who sells

cent - coin (1/100 of a dollar)  /  scent - smell or aroma /  sent - caused to be transmitted

cents - multiple cents  /  scents -  more than one aroma  /  sense - detect or feel

cereal - grains, breakfast food  /  serial - numbers in sequence (eg. book editions)

chews - grinds with teeth  /  choose - picks or selects

Chile - a South American country  /  chili - dried pod of red pepper, spicy dish  /  chilly - very cool

chord - musical notes in harmony  /  cord - a light rope / cored - middle part removed (eg. in apple)

cite - to reference  /  sight - to see, vision  /  site - location

clause - unit in contract or agreement  /  claws - sharp fingernails

click - ticking noise  /  clique - exclusive group (word often appears in teen literature)

close - shut  /  clothes - garments

coarse - rough  /  course - path of travel, or a unit of study

complement - opposite or addition of something lacking eg. complementary colour  /  compliment - praise

council - group of leaders  /  counsel - advisor, advise

creak - squeak  /  creek - small stream

cymbal - brass dish usually found with drums  /  symbol - representation

dam - holds back water  /  damn - a curse

days - multiple days  /  daze - to bewilder

dear - well loved or standard letter opening  /  deer - cute animal

dew - morning condensation / do - perform  /  due - payable or owing

die - pass away or single dice in a game  / dye - colouring material or act of colouring

discussed - talked about  /  disgust - feeling a sense of anger and sadness

do - note (pronounced "doh"  /  doe - a female deer  /  dough - uncooked bread or cookie or pie pastry

draft - rough or preliminary written version  /  draught - gust of wind

earn - come to deserve, make money eg.  /  urn - jar or vase

effect - see affect

eight - see ate

elicit - draw out  /  illicit - illegal

facts - things known to be true, exist or have happened  /  fax - electronic transmission

fairy - imaginary magic person  /  ferry - large boat that carries passengers and/or cars

faze - to stun  /  phase - part of a sequence

feat - an accomplishment  /  feet - at the bottom of your legs! or a unit of measure

flour - powdered wheat  /  flower - blooming plant

for - in place of  /  fore - in front eg. foreground  / four - number

foreward - introduction to a book  /  forward - facing direction

foul - offensive to the senses  /  fowl - hen or rooster 

gait  - a manner of walking or running  / gate  - fence door

gene  - a chromosome / jean  - cotton twill

gnawed  - chewed  / nod  - head tilting

gnu  - African antelope  / knew  - past tense of know  / new  - not old

grade  - a slope  / grayed  - turned gray

grease  - oil  / Greece  - Mediterranean country  -  -

groan  - reaction to hearing a pun  / grown  - has gotten larger

guessed  - past tense of guess  / guest  - a visitor

hair  - grows from your head  / hare  - rabbit

hall  - a large room  / haul  - to carry

halve  - break in two  / have  - to hold in possession

hart  - a stag  / heart  - blood pump

he'd  - contraction of "he would"  / heed  - to pay attention

he'll  - contraction of "he will"  / heal  - to make well

he'll  - contraction of "he will"  / hill  - smaller than a mountain

heal  - to cure of disease  / heel  - hind part of foot

hear  - to listen  / here  - at this location

heard  - listened to  / herd  - a group of ruminants

hi  - a greeting  / hie  - to go quickly  / high  - way up

heir, see: air

hew  - to chop  / hue  - a color  / Hugh  - a man's name

hide  - animal skin  / hied  - hurried

higher  - farther up  / hire  - to employ

hoarse  - rough voice  / horse  - equine  -

hoes  - more than one garden weeding tool  / hose  - tube for watering garden weeds  -

hold  - to grip  holed  - full of holes  -

hole  - round opening  whole  - entirety  -

holey  - perforated  / holy  - with religious significance  / wholly  - completely  -

hostel  - inexpensive lodging for travelers  / hostile  - unfriendly

hour  - sixty minutes  / our  - possessed by us

I'll,  - see: aisle

idle  - not working  / idol  - object of worship  / idyl  - paradise  -

illicit, see: elicit

in  - expressing inclusion  / inn  - hotel  -

inc  - short for incorporated  / ink  - writing fluid  -

incite  - to provoke  / insight  - understanding  -

innocence  - a state without guilt  / innocents  - more than one innocent  -

isle, see: aisle

it's  - contraction of "it is"  / its  - possessive pronoun

jam  - to smash together  / jamb  - side post of a doorway  -

jean, see: gene

karat, see: carat

key, see: cay

knap  - crest of a hill; break with a hammer  / nap  - a short sleep

knead  - working bread dough  / need  - must have

knight  - chivalrous man  / night  - darkness

knot  - fastening in cord  / naught  - nothing  / not  - negation

know  - to possess knowledge  / no  - negation

knows  - "Only the shadow knows..."  / noes  - "The noes have it..."  / nose  - "Plain as the nose on your face..."

kraft, see: craft

lacks  - does not have  / lax  - loose discipline

lain  - past tense of lay  / lane  - narrow road

lead  - heavy metal  / led  - guided  -

leak  - accidental escape of liquid  / leek  - variety of onion

leased  - rented  / least  - the minimum

lends  - allows to borrow  / lens  - convex glass

lessen  - to reduce  / lesson  - a segment of learning

lightening  - removing weight or darkness  / lightning  - static electricity from the sky

loan  - allow to borrow  / lone  - by itself

made  - accomplished  / maid  - young woman

mail  - postal delivery  / male  - masculine person

manner  - method  / manor  - lord's house

marry  - to join in matrimony  / merry  - happy

marshal  - to gather  / martial  - warlike 

mean  - average  / mein  - manner

meat  - animal flesh  / meet  - to connect  / mete  - a boundary

medal  - an award  / meddle  - to interfere

mince  - chop finely  / mints  - aromatic candies

mind  - thinking unit  / mined  - looked for ore

miner  - one who digs  / minor  - small, under age

missed  - not hit  / mist  - fog

misses  - young ladies  / Mrs.  - married lady

moan  - to groan  / mown  - the lawn is freshly cut

mode  - condition  / mowed  - a lawn in a well-trimmed condition

mood  - emotional state  / mooed  - what the cow did

moose  - a large elk  / mousse  - dessert of whipped cream and eggs

moral  - a social imperative  / morel  - a mushroom

morn  - AM  / mourn  - remember the dead

morning  - AM  / mourning  - remembering the dead

 -

mussed  - made messy  / must  - required

need, see: knead

new, see: gnu

news, see: gnus

night, see: knight

no, see: know

nob, see: knob

nock, see: knock

nod, see: gnawed

noes, see: knows

nose, see: knows

not, see: knot

oar  - boat propulsion system  / or  - boolean deathtrap  / ore  - mineral-laden dirt  -

odd, see: awed

oh  - interjection  / owe  - to be indebted  -

one  - single unit  / won  - victorious

oohs  - as in "oohs and ahs"  / ooze  - slime

ought, see: aught

our, see: hour

ours, see: hours

overdo  - carried to excess  / overdue  - past time for payment

paced  - measured by footsteps  / paste  -  - thick glue

packed  - placed in a container  / pact  - agreement

pail  - bucket  / pale  - light colored

pain  - it hurts  / pane  - a single panel of glass

pair  - a set of two  / pare  - cutting down  / pear  - bottom-heavy fruit

passed  - approved; moved on  / past  - before now

patience  - being willing to wait  / patients  - being willing to wait

pause  - to hesitate  / paws  - cat transportation

pea  - round, green legume  / pee  - piss

peace  - what the world needs  / piece  part of a whole  -

peak  - mountain top  / peek  - secret look  / pique  - ruffled pride  -

peal  - ringing sound  / peel  - fruit wrapping

phase, see: faze

phased, see: fazed

pi  - 3.1416  / pie  - good eating

plain  - not fancy  / plane  - a surface  -

pleas  - crys for help  / please  - good manners  -

Pole  - a person from Poland  / pole  - big stick  / poll  - a place to vote or a survey

poor  - no money  / pore  - careful study; microscopic hole  / pour  - to flow freely

praise -to commend  / prays  - worships God  / preys  - hunts

presence -the state of being present  / presents  - what Santa brings

 -

pride -ego  / pryed -opened  -

pries -wedging open  / prize -the reward  -

prince -son of the King  / prints -impressions , type of art -

principal -head of school  / principle -main idea or belief

profit -money earned  / prophet -Navi

pros -multiple experts  / prose -ordinary language

quarts several fourths-of-gallons  / quartz crystalline rock

rack -shelf  / wrack -wreckage

racket -illegal moneymaking scheme  / racquet  - woven bat for tennis

rain -precipitation  / reign  - rule  / rein  - strap that controls a horse

raise -elevate  / rays -thin beams of light  / raze  - to tear down completely

rap -a sharp knock  / wrap -to encase in cloth

rapped knocked sharply  / rapt spellbound  /  wrapped  - encased in cloth

read -past tense of read (eg book)  / red -a primary color

reek -smells bad  / wreak  - to inflict

rest -stop working  / wrest -take away

right -correct  / rite  - ritual  / write  - to inscribe

ring -circle around your finger  / wring -twisting

road -a broad trail  / rode -past tense of ride  / rowed -to propel a boat by oars

roam -to wander  / Rome -Italian capital

role -part to play  / roll -rotate

roomer -a tenant  / rumor -gossip

root -underground part of a plant  / route  - path of travel  -

rose -flower  /  rows -linear arrangement

rot -decay  / wrought -made

rote -by memory  / wrote -has written

rout -to force out

rude - - impolite  / rued -regretted

sacks -slang for fires an employee  / sax -short for saxophone

sail -wind powered water travel  / sale -the act of selling

sawed -cut timber  / sod -turf

scene  - visual location  / seen -past tense of saw  -

scent, see: cent

sea -ocean  / see -to look

sealing, see: ceiling

seam  - -row of stitches  / seem -appears

seams -more than one rows of stitching  / seems -it appears to be

seas  - oceans  / sees  - looks  / seize  - to grab

 seller, see: cellar

sense, see: cents

senses, see: census

sensor, see: censer

sent, see: cent

serial, see: cereal

sew -needle and thread  / so -in the manner shown  / sow -broadcasting seeds

shoe -footwear  / shoo -"go away"

shoot, see: chute

side -lateral  / sighed -breathed sorrowfully

sigh, see: psi

sighs -weary, sad breaths  / size -how large or small

sight, see: cite

sighted, see: cited

sink - where you wash, to submerge  / synch -together in time  (computer term)

site, see: cite

sited, see: cited

sites, see: cites

slay -kill  / sleigh -snow carriage

soar -fly  / sore -hurt  -

soared -sailed through the air  / sword -long fighting blade

sole -only  or bottom of shoe / soul -immortal part of a person  -

some -a few  / sum -result of addition  -

son -male child  / sun -star

stair -a step  / stare - look intently  -

stake  - wooden pole  / steak  - -slice of meat

stationary  - not moving  / stationery  - writing paper  -

steal  - take unlawfully  / steel -iron alloy

storey -floors of a building  / story  - a narrative tale

suite -ensemble  / sweet -sugary  -

summary -precis  / summery -like summer  -

sundae -ice cream with syrup on it  / Sunday -first day of the week  -

symbol, see: cymbal

tacks -small nails  / tax -governmental tithe

tail -at end of animals  tale -story

taught-past tense of teach  / taut -stretched tight

team -a group working together  / teem  - to swarm

tense -nervous  / tents -more than one temporary shelter

their -belonging to them  / there  - a place  / they're  - contraction of "they are"  -

threw -to propel by hand  / through -from end to end

throne -the royal seat  / thrown -was hurled   -

tide -periodic ebb and flow of oceans  / tied -passed tense of tie

to -toward  / too -also  / two -a couple  -

toad -frog  / toed -having toes  / towed -pulled ahead

toe -forepart of the foot  / tow -to pull ahead  -

told -what was spoken  / tolled -a bell was rung

urn, see: earn

vain -worthless  / vein -blood vessel  -

vary -to change  / very -extremely  -

verses -paragraphs  / versus -against

wade  - -walk in shallow water  / weighed -weight was measured  -

wail -a cry  / whale -large oceanic mammal  -

waist -between ribs and hips  / waste -make ill use of  -

wait -remain in readiness  / weight -an amount of heaviness  -

waive -give up rights  / wave -undulating motion

war -large scale armed conflict  / wore -past tense of wear  -

ware -merchandise  / wear  - attire  / where -a place  -

warn -to advise of a hazard  / worn -displaying evidence of use  -

warrantee -one who is protected by a guarantee  / warranty -a guarantee

way -path or direction  / weigh -to measure weight  / whey -watery part of milk  -

we -us  / wee -very small  -

we'd -contraction of "we would"  / weed - a plant that wasn’t planned

we'll -contraction of "we will"  / wheel - what we keep reinventing

we're  -contraction of "we are"  / were - past tense plural of "to be"  / whir - buzz

we've  - contraction of "we have"  / weave - to make cloth

weak - not strong  / week - seven days  -

weather - meteorological conditions  / whether - if it be the case

whine - annoying cry  / wine - fermented grape juice  -

whirled -  rapidly rotated  / world  - Earth

whither  - to which place, point, condition, etc.?  / wither - shrivel up

who's - contraction of "who is"  / whose - belonging to whom

whoa  - - equestrian directive to stop  / woe - despair

whole, see: hole

won, see: one

wrack, see: rack

 hoard

wrap, see: rap

wrapped, see: rapped

wreak, see: reek

wreck, see: reck

wright, see: right

wring, see: ring

write, see: right

wrote, see: rote

wrought, see: rot -

yore -the past  / you're -contraction of "you are" / your  - belonging to you