Homophones Examples

Homophones Examples

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. They can often lead to confusion, especially in written language.

List of Homophones Examples

Homophones with meaning and sentences

• Ail – Ale
  • Ail: To suffer from illness.
    • He was starting to ail after the long journey.
  • Ale: A type of beer.
    • They served local ale at the pub.

• Air – Heir
  • Air: The invisible gaseous substance surrounding Earth.
    • She opened the window to let in some fresh air.
  • Heir: A person who inherits something.
    • He is the heir to his father’s estate.

• Aisle – Isle
  • Aisle: A passage between rows of seats.
    • She walked down the aisle in the church.
  • Isle: A small island.
    • They spent their vacation on a remote isle.

• Allowed – Aloud
  • Allowed: Permitted.
    • Pets are not allowed in the restaurant.
  • Aloud: Spoken out loud.
    • She read the story aloud to the class.

• Altar – Alter
  • Altar: A table used in religious ceremonies.
    • They placed flowers on the altar.
  • Alter: To change something.
    • He had to alter his travel plans.

• Arc – Ark
  • Arc: A part of a curve.
    • The bridge forms an arc over the river.
  • Ark: A large boat or vessel.
    • Noah built an ark to survive the flood.

• Ascent – Assent
  • Ascent: The act of rising or climbing.
    • The ascent to the mountain peak was challenging.
  • Assent: Agreement or approval.
    • He nodded in assent.

• Ate – Eight
  • Ate: Past tense of eat.
    • She ate breakfast at 7 a.m.
  • Eight: The number 8.
    • They arrived at eight o’clock.

• Aught – Ought
  • Aught: Anything or nothing.
    • If you need aught, let me know.
  • Ought: Should.
    • You ought to apologize.

• Band – Banned
  • Band: A group of musicians.
    • The band played at the concert.
  • Banned: Forbidden.
    • Smoking is banned in public places.

• Bare – Bear
  • Bare: Without covering.
    • He walked barefoot on the sand.
  • Bear: A large mammal.
    • They spotted a bear in the woods.

• Barr – Bar
  • Barr: A surname or title.
    • The lawyer, Mr. Barr, presented the case.
  • Bar: A counter where drinks are served.
    • They met at the bar for a drink.

• Be – Bee
  • Be: To exist.
    • To be or not to be, that is the question.
  • Bee: An insect that makes honey.
    • The bee buzzed around the flowers.

• Beach – Beech
  • Beach: A sandy shore by the sea.
    • They spent the day at the beach.
  • Beech: A type of tree.
    • The beech tree provided shade.

• Beat – Beet
  • Beat: To strike repeatedly.
    • She beat the drum loudly.
  • Beet: A type of vegetable.
    • They made salad with fresh beet.

• Beau – Bow
  • Beau: A boyfriend or admirer.
    • She introduced her beau to her family.
  • Bow: To bend forward.
    • He gave a bow after his performance.

• Beer – Bier
  • Beer: An alcoholic drink.
    • He ordered a cold beer at the bar.
  • Bier: A frame for carrying a coffin.
    • They placed the coffin on the bier.

• Bell – Belle
  • Bell: A hollow object that makes a ringing sound.
    • She rang the bell to get attention.
  • Belle: A beautiful woman.
    • She was the belle of the ball.

• Berth – Birth
  • Berth: A sleeping place on a ship or train.
    • He booked a berth on the sleeper train.
  • Birth: The act of being born.
    • They celebrated the birth of their child.

• Bight – Bite
  • Bight: A bend in a coast.
    • They sailed around the bight of the bay.
  • Bite: To use teeth to cut.
    • He took a big bite of the apple.

• Billed – Build
  • Billed: Charged an amount.
    • He was billed for the repairs.
  • Build: To construct.
    • They plan to build a new house.

• Blue – Blew
  • Blue: A color.
    • She wore a blue dress.
  • Blew: Past tense of blow.
    • The wind blew all night.

• Boar – Bore
  • Boar: A wild pig.
    • The hunters saw a boar in the forest.
  • Bore: To make someone uninterested.
    • He tends to bore people with his stories.

• Board – Bored
  • Board: A flat piece of wood or other material.
    • They nailed the board to the wall.
  • Bored: Feeling uninterested.
    • She felt bored during the lecture.

• Bold – Bowled
  • Bold: Courageous or daring.
    • He made a bold decision.
  • Bowled: Past tense of bowl, as in a game.
    • She bowled a strike.

• Bough – Bow
  • Bough: A large branch of a tree.
    • The squirrel leapt from one bough to another.
  • Bow: To bend forward as a gesture of respect.
    • He gave a polite bow to the audience.

• Brake – Break
  • Brake: A device for slowing or stopping a vehicle.
    • He stepped on the brake to avoid hitting the deer.
  • Break: To separate into pieces.
    • Be careful not to break the glass.

• Bread – Bred
  • Bread: A staple food made from flour and water.
    • She baked fresh bread every morning.
  • Bred: Past tense of breed, meaning to produce offspring.
    • They bred horses on the farm.

• Brewed – Brood
  • Brewed: Made by soaking, boiling, and fermenting.
    • He brewed a pot of strong coffee.
  • Brood: A family of young animals, especially birds.
    • The hen protected her brood of chicks.

• Bridal – Bridle
  • Bridal: Related to a bride or wedding.
    • She chose a beautiful dress for her bridal shower.
  • Bridle: A harness for controlling a horse.
    • He put the bridle on the horse before riding.

• Burrow – Borough
  • Burrow: A hole or tunnel dug by a small animal.
    • The rabbit disappeared into its burrow.
  • Borough: An administrative division in a town or city.
    • She lives in the borough of Brooklyn.

• But – Butt
  • But: Used to introduce a contrasting idea.
    • He wanted to join, but he was too tired.
  • Butt: The thick end of something.
    • He put out his cigarette butt in the ashtray.

• Buy – By
  • Buy: To purchase something.
    • She decided to buy the new phone.
  • By: Indicates the means or agency of an action.
    • They traveled by car.

• Call – Caul
  • Call: To speak or shout to someone.
    • He decided to call his friend.
  • Caul: The membrane covering a fetus at birth.
    • The baby was born with a caul.

• Canon – Cannon
  • Canon: A collection of literary or artistic works.
    • The novel is part of the literary canon.
  • Cannon: A large, heavy gun used in warfare.
    • They fired the cannon during the reenactment.

• Capital – Capitol
  • Capital: A city that serves as the center of government.
    • Paris is the capital of France.
  • Capitol: A building where the legislature meets.
    • The capitol building is a historic landmark.

• Carat – Carrot
  • Carat: A unit of weight for precious stones.
    • The ring has a 2-carat diamond.
  • Carrot: An orange root vegetable.
    • She added a carrot to the salad.

• Cast – Caste
  • Cast: To throw something.
    • She cast her fishing line into the lake.
  • Caste: A social class or level.
    • The caste system has different levels.

• Cede – Seed
  • Cede: To give up power or territory.
    • The country decided to cede the disputed land.
  • Seed: A plant embryo that can grow into a new plant.
    • They planted a seed in the garden.

• Cell – Sell
  • Cell: A small room or basic unit of life.
    • He was held in a prison cell.
  • Sell: To exchange for money.
    • They decided to sell their car.

• Cent – Scent
  • Cent: A unit of currency.
    • The item costs fifty cents.
  • Scent: A smell or odor.
    • She loved the scent of roses.

• Cere – Seer
  • Cere: To wrap in waxed cloth.
    • The document was carefully cered and sealed.
  • Seer: A person who sees or predicts the future.
    • The seer made a prophecy about the king.

• Chased – Chaste
  • Chased: Pursued or followed.
    • The cat chased the mouse around the room.
  • Chaste: Pure or virtuous.
    • She led a chaste life, free from vice.

• Choir – Quire
  • Choir: A group of singers.
    • The church choir sang beautifully.
  • Quire: 25 sheets of paper.
    • He bought a quire of high-quality paper.

• Cite – Sight
  • Cite: To quote or refer to something.
    • He had to cite several sources in his paper.
  • Sight: The ability to see.
    • The sight of the mountains took his breath away.

• Clause – Claws
  • Clause: A part of a sentence.
    • The contract had a special clause about termination.
  • Claws: The sharp nails of an animal.
    • The cat sharpened its claws on the tree.

• Climb – Clime
  • Climb: To go up or ascend.
    • They decided to climb the hill.
  • Clime: A region with a particular climate.
    • He moved to a warmer clime for his health.

• Close – Clothes
  • Close: To shut.
    • Please close the door behind you.
  • Clothes: Items worn to cover the body.
    • She bought new clothes for the trip.

• Coarse – Course
  • Coarse: Rough in texture.
    • The fabric felt coarse against her skin.
  • Course: A path or direction.
    • They plotted their course across the sea.

• Complement – Compliment
  • Complement: Something that completes or goes well with something.
    • The wine was a perfect complement to the meal.
  • Compliment: An expression of praise.
    • She received a compliment on her new dress.

• Counsel – Council
  • Counsel: Advice or guidance.
    • She sought legal counsel before signing the contract.
  • Council: An assembly or advisory body.
    • The city council met to discuss the new regulations.

• Creak – Creek
  • Creak: A squeaky sound, often from wood.
    • The old door creaked as it opened.
  • Creek: A small stream.
    • They set up their tent by the creek.

• Cue – Queue
  • Cue: A signal for action.
    • That was his cue to start the music.
  • Queue: A line of people or things.
    • There was a long queue at the ticket counter.

• Dear – Deer
  • Dear: Loved or cherished.
    • She is very dear to me.
  • Deer: A wild animal with antlers.
    • They spotted a deer in the forest.

• Dew – Due
  • Dew: Tiny drops of water on surfaces in the morning.
    • The grass was wet with morning dew.
  • Due: Expected or required.
    • The assignment is due tomorrow.

• Die – Dye
  • Die: To cease living.
    • The plant will die without water.
  • Dye: To color something.
    • She decided to dye her hair red.

• Discreet – Discrete
  • Discreet: Tactful or careful in actions.
    • He was discreet about his plans.
  • Discrete: Separate or distinct.
    • The data was divided into discrete categories.

• Doe – Dough
  • Doe: A female deer.
    • The doe and her fawn grazed peacefully.
  • Dough: A mixture of flour and water used in baking.
    • She kneaded the dough to make bread.

• Dual – Duel
  • Dual: Consisting of two parts.
    • She has dual citizenship.
  • Duel: A formal fight between two people.
    • The rivals decided to settle their differences in a duel.

• Earn – Urn
  • Earn: To receive money for work done.
    • She works hard to earn a living.
  • Urn: A container, often for holding ashes.
    • The urn held her grandmother’s ashes.

• Elicit – Illicit
  • Elicit: To draw out a response.
    • The teacher tried to elicit answers from the students.
  • Illicit: Illegal or forbidden by law.
    • They were caught engaging in illicit activities.

• Eye – I
  • Eye: The organ of sight.
    • He has a sharp eye for detail.
  • I: The pronoun used for oneself.
    • I enjoy reading books.

• Faun – Fawn
  • Faun: A mythical creature, part human, part goat.
    • The statue depicted a faun playing a flute.
  • Fawn: A young deer.
    • The fawn followed closely behind its mother.

• Ferry – Fairy
  • Ferry: A boat that carries people or goods.
    • They took a ferry across the river.
  • Fairy: A mythical creature with magical powers.
    • The child believed in fairies.

• Find – Fined
  • Find: To locate or discover.
    • She was thrilled to find her lost ring.
  • Fined: To be penalized with a monetary charge.
    • He was fined for parking illegally.

• Fir – Fur
  • Fir: A type of evergreen tree.
    • The forest was full of tall fir trees.
  • Fur: The hair on an animal’s body.
    • The cat’s fur was soft and fluffy.

• Flea – Flee
  • Flea: A small, parasitic insect.
    • The dog had to be treated for fleas.
  • Flee: To run away from danger.
    • The villagers had to flee from the wildfire.

• Flew – Flu
  • Flew: Past tense of fly.
    • The birds flew south for the winter.
  • Flu: Short for influenza, an illness.
    • He stayed home because he had the flu.

• Floe – Flow
  • Floe: A large sheet of floating ice.
    • The polar bear rested on the ice floe.
  • Flow: The movement of a liquid.
    • The river flow was calm and steady.

• Flour – Flower
  • Flour: A powder made by grinding grains.
    • She used flour to bake the cake.
  • Flower: The blossom of a plant.
    • The garden was full of blooming flowers.

• For – Four
  • For: A preposition used to indicate purpose.
    • She brought a gift for her friend.
  • Four: The number after three.
    • There are four apples on the table.

• Fore – Four
  • Fore: Toward the front.
    • The fore part of the ship was damaged.
  • Four: The number after three.
    • She has four books on her desk.

• Forth – Fourth
  • Forth: Outward or forward.
    • They set forth on their journey.
  • Fourth: The ordinal number after third.
    • Her birthday is on the fourth of July.

• Gait – Gate
  • Gait: A person’s manner of walking.
    • He had a slow, steady gait.
  • Gate: A hinged barrier used to close an opening.
    • She opened the gate to enter the garden.

• Gilt – Guilt
  • Gilt: Covered with gold or golden color.
    • The frame was gilt and looked elegant.
  • Guilt: A feeling of responsibility for wrongdoing.
    • He felt a deep sense of guilt for his actions.

By understanding the differences between homophones, you can improve your writing and avoid common mistakes. Always double-check your work to ensure you’ve used the correct word.

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