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