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HomoPHONES Words ... | Spelled DIFFERENT | Sound SAME | Meaning DIFFERENT | |
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All the words in this list are Public Domain.
The design of this presentation is copyright ©2006 by Wayne Hepburn.
Use and distribution of this file is permitted for nonprofit purposes only.
Brief definitions are given solely to aid in understanding the pronunciation of familiar words
which may have more than one meaning and/or pronunciation.
Using this word list: Homophones come primarily in sets of two but sometimes more than two words which sound alike. The words below are grouped with the PRIMARY word first, followed by others which sound like it. With very few exceptions, each word appears only once. For example: "you" is a homophone of "ewe". "You" will be found in the group following the entry for "ewe". "You" does not appear again under Y. To locate a particular word, use the FIND function of your browser. To go to a group beginning with a specific letter, click the letter on the bar. Otherwise, scroll down to browse the list. |
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| A |
| a or A | the article / the name of the alpha letter |
| eh | expression, often as questioning |
| aba | fabric made from hair of camel or goat |
| abba | a father |
| abbe [s] | alt. for abbot |
| abbey [s] | monastery |
| acclamation | applause or assent |
| acclimation | habituation to climate |
| acts | performances or behaviors |
| ax, axe | chopping tool |
| ad | abbrev. advertisement |
| add | sum up |
| ade [s] | suffix as in lemonade |
| aid [s] | help or assistance |
| aide [s] | assistant in military |
| adherence | attaching to, sticking |
| adherents | believers or followers |
| adolescence | stage of life |
| adolescents | persons in adolescence |
| ads | plural of ad |
| adds | plural of add |
| adze | also adz = ax like tool |
| affect [d][s] | cause an effect |
| effect [d][s] | result |
| ail [s] | be ill |
| ale [s] | beverage |
| air [s] | atmosphere of Earth |
| e'er | poetic contraction for 'ever' |
| ere | before |
| err [s] | commit error, sometimes sounded as urr |
| heir [s] | inheritor |
| aisle [s] | walkway or path |
| I'll | contraction for 'I will' |
| isle [s] | island |
| all | every |
| awl | tool |
| allowed | permitted |
| aloud | audibly |
| altar [s] | place of worship or sacrifice |
| alter [s] | change |
| an | one of something |
| Ann or Anne | given name |
| ant [s] | insect |
| aunt [s] | parent's sibling |
| ante | entry fee to hand of playing cards in some games |
| aunty or Auntie | endearing form of aunt |
| ar | 1 = name of the alpha letter 'R', 2 = unit of measure |
| are | plural of is |
| arc [s] | curved line |
| ark [s] | vessel or chest |
| ascent [s] | result of moving upward |
| assent [s] | agreement |
| ate | past tense of eat |
| eight | number between 7 and 9 |
| auger [s] | drill |
| augur [s] | portend |
| aught [s] | cipher, nothing |
| ought [s] | should |
| ought [s] | zero |
| aw | expression |
| awe | wonder |
| aweful | wonderful |
| awful | bad |
| away | not here |
| aweigh | depart, as in 'anchors aweigh' |
| axal | alt for axial |
| axil | botanical term |
| axle | wheel shaft |
| axils | pl. |
| axles | pl. |
| ay | interjection as in 'aieeee' |
| aye [s] | yes |
| eye [s] | seeing organ |
| i or I | alpha letter, personal pronoun |
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| B |
| b or B | alphabet character or name thereof |
| be | exist |
| bee | insect |
| bail [s] | empty or dip out, / a hoop |
| bale [s] | compressed aggregate, as 'bale of hay' |
| bailee [s] | custodian |
| bailey [s] | palisade or fortress wall |
| bailie [s] | Scottish municipal officer like alderman |
| bailer [s] | one who bails |
| bailor [s] | deliverer under contract |
| baler [s] | maker of bales |
| baize | type of fabric |
| bays | plural of bay |
| beys | plural of bey |
| bald | hairless |
| balled | configured into a ball or sphere |
| bawled | cried |
| baller [s] | one who makes a ball or who "balls" |
| bawler [s] | one who cries, bawls |
| ball [s][ing] | v.make spherical [ball fist] / n. round or spherical toy |
| bawl [s][ing] | cry |
| ban [s] | prohibit |
| bann [s] | announcement |
| band | group of musicians |
| banned | past tense of ban |
| bar [s] | n. rod - as in prisons bars |
| bar [s] | n. saloon |
| bar [s] | v. disallow |
| barre [s] | n. handrail used in ballet practice |
| bare | adj. unadorned; naked / v. expose, uncover |
| bear | n. speies of ursine mammal |
| bear | v. carry |
| bares | v.3rd per. bares his soul |
| bears | n.pl. more than one animal; collective noun |
| bears | v.3rd per. carries |
| bard | poet or writer |
| barred | prevented |
| bark [s] | 1 = outer covering of tree trunk; 2 = canine speech |
| barque [s] | boat |
| baron | title of nobility |
| barren | infertile |
| baroness | title of nobility |
| barreness | infertile |
| basal | pertaining to a base |
| basil | edible plant used as spice |
| based | founded on or supported by |
| baste | coat with liquid - usually in cooking |
| bases | plural of base |
| basses | stringed musical instrument [s] |
| basis | first principle |
| bask [s] | be exposed to [warmth] |
| basque [s] | type of blouse |
| Basque [s] | nationality |
| bat [s] | 1 = flying nocturnal mammal, 2 = stick |
| batt [s] | cotton batting or insulation material |
| baud [s] | unit of measure - "baud rate" |
| bawd [s] | prostitue [archaic - root of 'bawdy'] |
| bay [s] | body of water |
| bey [s] | Turkish title |
| beach [es] | seashore sands |
| beech [es] | tree |
| beat [s] | 1 = thump, 2 = tempo |
| beet [s] | vegetable |
| beau [s] | sweetheart |
| bow [s] | archery device |
| beaut [s] | colloquial for a beauty or beautiful |
| butte [s] | landscape prominence |
| been | past tens of 'be' |
| bin | container or hopper |
| beer [s] | beverage |
| bier [s] | coffin support |
| bel [s] | unit of measure |
| Bel | Babylonian god |
| bell [s] | ringing device |
| belle [s] | beautiful woman |
| berry | fruit |
| bury | inter |
| berries | pl. |
| buries | pl. |
| berth [s] | bed or assigned space on conveyance |
| birth [s] | nativity |
| better [s] | socially superior |
| bettor [s] | one who wagers |
| bib [s] | napkin of sorts |
| bibb [s] | bracket on ship's mast |
| billed | past tense of 'bill' - invoice |
| build | 1 = construct, 2 = physique |
| bird | avian creature |
| burred | rough edged |
| birr [s] | whirring sound |
| bur [s] | plant seed case |
| burr [s] | variant of 'bur' |
| bit [s] | past tense of 'bite' / tool |
| bitt [s] | deck post on ship |
| bits | pl. |
| bitts | pl. |
| bite [s] | cut with teeth |
| bight [s] | corner / loop in rope / bay |
| byte [s] | unit of measure in digital data systems |
| blew | past tense of 'blow' |
| blue | color |
| bloc [s] | cohesive group |
| block [s] | 1 = rectangular solid, 2 = obstruct |
| boar [s] | male swine |
| bore [s] | drill |
| Boer [s] | South African Dutch colonist |
| board | 1 = plank, 2 = governing group |
| bored | 1 = drilled, 2 = listless & disinterested |
| boarder [s] | resident |
| border [s] | dividing line or edge |
| bode | presage or foreshadow |
| bowed | bent or curved |
| bold | courageous |
| bowled | rolled bowling ball |
| bolder | comparative form of 'bold' |
| boulder | rock |
| bole [s] | tree trunk |
| boll [s] | plant pod |
| bowl [s] | receptacle |
| boos | disapproval |
| booze | colloquial for alcoholic beverage |
| born | having come into life |
| borne | carried |
| bourn | stream |
| boro [s] | n. geopolitical subdivision |
| borough [s] | n. geopolitical subdivision |
| burro [s] | n. donkey |
| burrow [s] | n./v. tunnel |
| bow [s] | v. bend at waist in sign of respect |
| bough [s] | n. tree limb |
| braid | v. plait or interleaave |
| brayed | v. pt. of 'bray' |
| braise [s][d] | culinary term |
| brays | makes equine sound |
| braze [s][d] | weld |
| braising | v.p. |
| brazing | v.p |
| brake [s] | arrest motion, halt |
| break [s] | damage |
| braker [s] | stopper |
| breaker [s] | destroyer |
| braking | participle[s] of brake |
| breaking | participle[s] of break |
| breach [es] | create opening or overrun defenses |
| breech [es] | receptacle for amunition |
| bread | baked food from flour |
| bred | mated |
| brews | plural of 'brew' |
| bruise | injure |
| bridal | pertaining to a bride or wedding |
| bridle | horse control lanyard |
| broach [es] | propose |
| brooch [es] | article of jewelry |
| brood | 1 = offspring group, 2 = sit eggs for hatching |
| brewed | past tense of 'brew' |
| brows | forehead |
| browse | feed on |
| bunco | fraud |
| bunko | dice game |
| Bundt | type of cake or baking pan |
| bunt | short hit baseball |
| burger [s] | colloquial for 'hamburger' sandwich |
| burgher [s] | citizen of town or borough |
| bus | conveyance |
| buss | 1 = kiss, 2 = electrical current handler |
| bused | past tense of 'bus' |
| bussed | past tense of 'buss' |
| bust | 1 = break or burst, 2 = woman's breast |
| buses | pl. |
| busses | pl. |
| but [s] | take exception with or make condition |
| butt [s] | 1 = hind end, 2 = ram |
| buy [s] | purchase |
| by | preposition for beside or near |
| bye [s] | sports term in cricket and golf |
| buyer [s] | purchaser |
| byre [s] | barn |
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| C |
| c or C | name of alphabet character |
| sea [s] | ocean or large body of water |
| see [s] | view |
| sieze | take hold |
| caca | slang for excrement |
| kaka | type of parrot |
| cache | storage place |
| cash | legal tender |
| cached | stored |
| cashed | converted to legal tender |
| caches | pl. |
| cashes | v. |
| caching | v.p. |
| cashing | v.p. |
| calendar [s] | n. table of days & years |
| calendar [s][ed][ing] | v. place on a calendar schedule |
| calender [s] | n. embossing device |
| calender [s][ed][ing] | v. means of embossing |
| calf | young bovine |
| kaph | name of 11th letter in Hebrew alphabet |
| call [s] | contact or awaken |
| caul [s] | wooden clamp |
| came | past tense of 'come' |
| kame | low mound or hill |
| cand | n. minerology term |
| canned | adj. sealed within a can |
| kand | n. variation of cand |
| cane [s] | n. plant stem |
| cane [s] | n. walking aid |
| Cain | son of Adam & Eve |
| kain [s] | n. tribute paid to landlord [Scot.] |
| cannon [s] | artillery device |
| canon [s] | law |
| can't | v. contraction for 'can not' |
| cant | n./v. 1 = slant, 2 = whining speech |
| canter [s] | n./v. moderate gallop |
| cantor [s] | n. liturgical singer or choir leader |
| canters | pl. |
| cantors | pl. |
| canvas [es] | type of fabric |
| canvass [es] | solicit |
| capital [s] | 1 = money, 2 = column top |
| capitol [s] | building |
| carat [s] | lapidary unit of measure |
| caret [s] | typing mark '^' made by shift 6 |
| carrot [s] | root vegetable |
| karat [s] | alt. spelling of 'carat' |
| carol [s] | song or hymn |
| carrel [s] | study enclosure |
| carpal | a bone of the carpus in wrist |
| carpel | botanical term - a pistil |
| cast [s] | 1 = to throw, 2 = performing group |
| caste [s] | a social class |
| caster | one who throws |
| castor | type of bean |
| catch | receive a thrown or falling object |
| ketch | type of boat |
| cause | generative force |
| caws | sounds of crows |
| cay [s] | island |
| quay [s] | wharf |
| cedar [s] | an evergreen tree |
| seeder [s] | one who broadcasts seeds |
| cede [s][ed] | v. to give or surrender |
| seed [s][ed] | n./v. plant germ, to insert seeds in growing medium |
| seed [s][ed] | n. term in professional tennis |
| ceding | v.p. giving up |
| seeding | v.p. planting - participle of seed |
| ceiling [s] | overhead wall of a room |
| sealing [s] | to close a package or envelope; place personal seal |
| cell [s] | 1 = a small room, 2 = term in life sciences |
| sell [s] | to exchange for money |
| cellar [s] | basement |
| seller [s] | one who sells |
| censer [s] | n. incense dish |
| censor [s] | n./v. one who censures; to censure |
| sensor [s] | n. a device which detects or senses |
| cent [s] | one hundredth of a dollar |
| scent [s] | an aroma |
| sent | dispatched |
| sense | detect |
| cere | cover with wax |
| sear [s] | to scorch |
| seer [s] | a prophet |
| sere | withered |
| cereal [s] | edible grains |
| serial [s] | sequential |
| Ceres | Roman goddess of agriculture |
| series | a sequence |
| cession [s] | giving up |
| session [s] | a group sitting |
| chance | happenstance |
| chants | more than one litany |
| chard | spinach-like vegetable |
| charred | burnt |
| chased | quickly followed |
| chaste | virginal, sexually pure |
| cheap | low cost |
| cheep | sound made by chick |
| check [s] | 1 = tic mark, 2 = mode of payment |
| Czech [s] | from Czechoslovakia |
| chews | masticates |
| choose | select |
| chic | in fashion |
| sheik | Arab ruler |
| Chile | a South American country |
| chili | dried pod of red pepper |
| chilly | uncomfortably cool |
| choir [s] | singing group |
| quire [s] | the twentieth part of a ream of paper |
| choler | yellow bile |
| collar | around your neck |
| choral | by a chorus |
| coral | marine polyp skeleton |
| chorale [s] | song by choir |
| corral [s] | animal enclosure |
| chord [s] | three tones in harmony |
| cord [s] | very light rope |
| cored | divested of its central part |
| chute [s] | inclined trough |
| shoot [s] | fire a weapon |
| cirrous | plant tendril |
| cirrus | fleecy clouds |
| serous | pertaining to serum |
| cite [s] | refer to or acknowledge |
| sight [s] | vision |
| site [s] | location |
| cited | past tense verb "cite" |
| sighted | saw |
| sited | past tense verb "site" |
| citing | participle of 'cite' |
| sighting | participle of 'sight' |
| siting | participle of 'site' |
| clack [s] | a chattering sound |
| claque [s] | a group hired to applaud, sycophants |
| clan | tribe |
| Klan | the Ku Klux Klan |
| clansman | member of a clan |
| Klansman | member of The KKK |
| clansmen | pl. |
| Klansmen | pl. |
| clause | contractual unit |
| claws | animals talons or nails |
| clew [s] | sheet cringle on a sail |
| clue [s] | a hint |
| click [s] | ticking noise |
| clique [s] | exclusive group |
| klick [s] | slang for kilometer |
| climb [s] | ascend |
| clime [s] | climate |
| clip [s] | 1 = cut off, 2 = fastener |
| klips [s] | cliff [South Africa] |
| close | shut |
| clothes | garments |
| coal | black mineral |
| cole | plants in the crucifer family |
| kohl | black cosmetic powder |
| coaled | supplied with coal |
| cold | not supplied with coal |
| coarse | rough |
| course | path of travel |
| coat [s] | wear it for warmth |
| cote [s] | small animal shed |
| coax | persuade or cajole |
| Cokes | multiple Coca-Colaź servings |
| cob [s] | core of ear of corn |
| kob [s] | antelope of species kobus |
| cocks | more than one male bird |
| cox | a coxswain |
| coddling | indulging |
| codling | small, unripe apple |
| coffer [s] | a strongbox or money chest |
| cougher [s] | one who coughs |
| coin [s] | money |
| quoin [s] | corner stone |
| cola [s] | beverage |
| kola [s] | African tree |
| collard | n. type of edible greens |
| collared | v.pt. apprehended |
| collared | adj. having a collar |
| colonel [s] | military officer |
| kernel [s] | seed |
| complacence | self-satisfaction |
| complaisance | willingness to please |
| complacent | self-satified |
| complaisant | willing to please |
| complement [s] | allotment |
| compliment [s] | praise |
| con [s] | against |
| khan [s] | East Asian title |
| conch [s] | marine mollusk |
| conk [s] | blow to the head |
| coo [s] | a soft murmuring sound |
| coup [s] | a successful stroke or takeover |
| cook [s] | prepare food |
| kook [s] | bizarre person |
| cop [s] | policeman or woman [fron Constable Ob Patrol] |
| kop [s] | mountain or hill [So Africa] |
| copse | stand of trees or small wood |
| copped | swiped |
| Copt | member of Coptic culture or church |
| core [s] | inner part |
| corps | organized group |
| kor [s] | round vessel [Hebrew] |
| cosign [s] | to sign in addition |
| cosine [s] | sine of the complement in trigonometry |
| cough [s] | noisily expel air from lungs |
| koff [s] | two-masted Dutch vessel |
| council [s] | group of leaders |
| counsel [s] | advice or advisor |
| cousin [s] | son or daughter of an uncle or aunt |
| cozen [s] | defraud or deceive |
| craft [s] | a manual occupation |
| kraft [s] | a strong paper made from wood pulp |
| crain [s] | derrick |
| crane [s] | bird |
| crate [s] | container |
| krait [s] | type of venomous serpent |
| crater [s] | impact hole |
| krater [s] | ancient Greek jar |
| creak [s] | noise |
| creek [s] | small stream |
| crewed | served by a crew |
| crude | of coarse manner |
| crewel | embroidery material or process |
| cruel | merciless |
| crews | more than one crew |
| cruise | a sea journey |
| crone [s] | old withered ewe or woman |
| krone [s] | monetary unit in some nations |
| croon [s] | sing in gentle manner |
| kroon [s] | monetary unit [obsolete] |
| cue [s] | a signal |
| queue [s] | a waiting line (another famous English-ism) |
| q or Q [s] | alphabet character |
| cued | pt. |
| queued | pt. |
| curb [s] | raised edge of rodway |
| kerb [s] | British for curb |
| curd [s] | chemical coagulation |
| Kurd / Koord [s] | people of Kurdistan |
| currant [s] | small berry |
| current | of the present |
| current [s] | electric power or water motion |
| curser [s] | one who swears |
| cursor [s] | on-screen positional indicator |
| cygnet [s] | a young swan |
| signet [s] | an authenticating seal |
| cymbal [s] | percussive brass dish |
| symbol [s] | a representation |
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| D |
| dam [s] | holds back water |
| damn [s] | consign to hades |
| dammar [s] | tree resin used in varnish, also 'damar' |
| dammer [s] | dam maker |
| damner [s] | curser |
| dammed | prevented from flowing |
| damned | cursed |
| damming | controlling water |
| damning | cursing |
| darn [s] | mend |
| darne [s] | a fish steak |
| Dane [s] | person of Denmark |
| deign [s] | allow with condescension |
| days | more than one day |
| daze | bewilder |
| dear | beloved |
| deer | ruminant quadruped |
| descent [s] | downward motion |
| dissent [s] | disagreement |
| deviser [s] | inventor |
| devisor [s] | testator |
| divisor [s] | mathematical term |
| dew [s] | morning condensation |
| do | perform or execute |
| due [s] | owed, payable |
| die [d][s] | 1 = become dead, 2 = stamping tool |
| dye [d][s] | coloring agent |
| dyeing | p |
| dying | p |
| dine [s] | eat |
| dyne [s] | unit of energy |
| dire | desperate |
| dyer | one who dyes |
| disc [s] | a phonograph record |
| disk [s] | a round, plate-shaped object |
| discreet | confidential |
| discrete | individual |
| discussed | talked about |
| disgust | sickening |
| do | first note of diatonic scale |
| doe [s] | a female deer |
| dough [s] | uncooked bread |
| doc [s] | a physician |
| dock [s] | where a boat is kept |
| does | several female deer |
| doughs | several uncooked breads |
| doze | to nap |
| done | completed |
| dun | demand payment |
| douse [d][r][rs][s] | pour water on fire |
| dowse [d][r][rs][s] | search for uderground water |
| draft [s] | a preliminary written version |
| draught [s] | a gust of wind |
| dual [s] | twofold. plural is slang |
| duel [s] | a fight between two over honor |
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| E |
| earn [s] | to come to deserve |
| urn [s] | jar or vase |
| elicit | to draw out |
| illicit | unlawful |
| el [s] | elevated railway |
| ell [s] | name of the alphabetic letter 'L' |
| elude [s] | to escape from |
| illude [s] | to deceive |
| em [s] | name of alphabet letter 'M' or unit of type |
| m or M [s] | alphabet character 'M' |
| en [s] | name of alphabet letter 'N' or unit of type |
| n or N [s] | alphabet character 'N' |
| epic [s] | a narrative poem or story |
| epoch [s] | a noteworthy period in history |
| eunuchs | castrated men - harem guardians |
| Unix | computer operating system |
| ewe [s] | female sheep |
| u or U [s] | alphabet character |
| yew [s] | a type of tree |
| you | the second person voice |
| ex | former |
| x or X | alphabet character |
| eyelet [s] | small hole for laces |
| islet [s] | small island |
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