Homonyms, Homophones, and Homographs

Words that look alike, sound alike, or both but have different meanings are called homonyms, homophones and homographs. The charts below can help you identify some commonly confused words, and the differences between them.
accept – agree to take | except – not including/other than | |
ad – advertisement for product or service | add – combine or attach to | |
advice -recommendations or guidance offered | advise – to offer suggestions or guidance | |
aid – help or assist | aide – a person that provides assistance | |
ail – to be ill or unwell | ale – an alcoholic beverage | |
air – invisible, gaseous substance | heir – a person who inherits assets | |
aisle – a common walkway or passage | I’ll – contraction for “I will” | isle – small body of land surrounded by water |
allusion – an indirect or passing reference | illusion – something falsely perceived or interpreted | |
altar – table used for religious rituals | alter – change or cause to change | |
ate – “eat” or consume in the past tense | eight – the written presentation of the number 8 | |
bail – to remove water | bail – funds required for the pretrial release of a prisoner | bale – a large bundle of single items bound together |
band – an object that binds | band – a group, as in musical | banned -not allowed, prohibited |
bare – nude, unclothed | bear – large mammal | bear – to support or handle |
bases – starting or foundation point | bases – four goals or points on a baseball field | basis – a fundamental principle |
beat – to win over or triumph | beat – tired, exhausted | beet – an edible root |
blew – “to blow” in the past tense | blue – a descriptive word for color | |
bread – baked food made from grain | bred – produced or reared | |
buy – pay for or purchase | by – close to or through | bye – informal goodbye |
capital – wealth,as both money and assets | capital – chief city | capitol – building where legislature meets |
ceiling – top interior surface of rooms | sealing – fastening or closing securely | |
cell – small confined space | sell – to offer for purchase | |
cent – one penny, smallest division of a dollar | scent – a smell or odor | sent – send in the past tense |
chews – the act of chewing food | choose – select or decide on | |
cite – to mention, quote or reference | sight – visual observation | site – place or location |
chews – the act of chewing food | choose – select or decide on | |
cite – to mention, quote or reference | sight – visual observation | site – place or location |
coarse – not smooth, rough surfaced | course – a route | |
complement -bring to perfection | compliment – express admiration | |
conduct – a manner of behavior | conduct – to lead or manage | |
council – an assembly of persons | counsel – to offer advice, to advise | |
days – plural form of day | daze – state of confusion | |
dear – valued or admired | deer – a common anima | |
desert – to abandon or leave | desert – stretches of arid land | dessert – sweet served after a meal |
die – expire, end | dye – change the color of something | |
discreet – tactful, respectfully | discrete – separate and distinct | |
dual – double or relating to 2 | duel – contest or fight | |
elicit – evoke or draw out | illicit – illegal or forbidden | |
eminent – distinguished or respected | imminent – happening soon | |
fair – even, impartial | fair – event, gathering, exhibition | fare – fee for public transportation |
find – locate or discover | fined – charged money for offense | |
fir – an evergreen tree | fur – a coat or covering of hair | |
flea – a pesky insect | flee – to escape or run | |
flour – powdered grain | flower – blooming part of a plant | |
for – identifies intended recipient | fore – in the front or forward | four – the written presentation of the number 4 |
foreword – preface, words before main document | forward – related to direction and movement | |
grate – to scrape or grind | grate – cause irritation | great – above normal, significant |
groan – low verbal sound | grown – matured, increased in size | |
hall – corridor | haul – carry or tow | |
hear – perceive sound | here – this specific place | |
higher – taller, or more vertically expansive | hire – to employ for pay | |
hoarse – rough, throaty sounding | horse – a large animal | |
its – a pronoun showing possession | it’s – the contraction for “it is” | |
jam – stick or pack tightly | jam – fruit preserves | jamb – physical part of a door or window |
know – to understand a certain subject | no – negative, decline | |
lead – a metal | lead – to direct or command | led – past tense oflead(commanded) |
lessen – to decrease, or diminish | lesson – a certain period of learning | |
lie – to recline, or be prone | lie – not the truth | lye – chemical in soap |
meat – animal flesh as food | meet – to encounter, purposely or by chance | mete – to give out or dispense |
miner – a person who works in a mine | minor – a person under the legal age of responsibility | minor – lesser in significance |
missed – past tense of miss, failed to reach | mist – light ground fog | |
one – the written presentation of the number 1 | won – past tense of win, triumphed | |
pail – a container or bucket | pale – not bright, lacking color | |
pair – two things that belong together | pare – cut back, remove or trim | pear – edible fruit |
passed – past form of pass, proceeded | past – a previous time | past – to go beyond |
patience – tolerance | patients – subjects receiving care or treatment | |
peace – period of calm | piece – a part of a whole | |
plain – treeless, grassy land | plain – simple, insignificant | plane – an airplane |
poor – without wealth | pore -minute, or tiny opening a surface | pour – to cause to steady, rapid flow of liquid |
principal – fundamental, most important | principal – lead administrator of a school | principle – a general rule |
profit – financial gain | prophet – a person regarded as a teacher or proclaimer of the will of deities | |
raise – lift up | rays – beams or shafts of light | raze – demolish or level |
rap – tap briskly | rap – hip hop music | wrap – enclose, conceal or cover |
role – an actor’s part in a play | roll – the movement of an object turning over on itself | roll – a cylinder formed of non-folded, flexible material |
sail – to travel by sailboat(v) or the actual fabric used to catch wind on a sailboat (n) | sale – the act of selling an item | |
scene – a particular setting or location where an event occurs | seen – the past particular of the act of visually observing | |
seam – the line made by the meeting of two joined materials | seem – to imply or appear | |
shear – to cut, or trim | sheer – see-through, transparent | |
soar – to fly high in the air | sore – painful or hurting | |
stair – a single unit of steps | stare – gaze at a fixed point for extended time periods | |
stake – a wooden, pointed piece of wood | steak – a certain cut of bee | |
team – a group of players | teem – a large presence of a certain item | |
threw – “throw” past tense form, propelled | through – the constant movement from one point to another | |
tide – daily or monthly rising and ebbing of seas | tied – secured or fastened | |
vain – conceited, self-absorbed | vane – blade attached to rotating axis pushed by air or water | vein – the tubes in the circulatory system that carry blood |
waist – the section of torso
between ribs and hips |
waste – to squander | |
way – a route or manner | weigh – measure mass or heaviness | |
weak – delicate, liable to break | week – a group of seven days | |
weather – atmospheric conditions in a certain locale | whether – identifies intent or options | |
whine – complain, cry | wine – a fruit based alcoholic drink |