Posted: April 16, 2024

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Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. Sometimes, these words are even spelt the same. The trouble with homophones doesn’t come so much from misspelling a word but from using the incorrect word in its place. However, I’ve classified it under Spelling because writers should be aware of the slight variance in words.

Oftentimes, spellcheckers incorrectly mark or just altogether miss this error in your writing; be aware.

Also be aware of homographs, which include words that have the same spelling, and may even have the same pronunciation, but have different meanings, such as bat (the animal) and bat (the tool for baseball).

Homophones and homographs both fall under the umbrella term: Homonym.

The English language has hundreds of homophones, but here is a shortened list of thirty-five:

1. accept – take in;
   except – other than
2. advice – guidance;
   advise – to recommend
3. air – atmosphere;
   ere – before;
   heir – one who inherits property
4. bare – uncovered;
   bear – large animal;
   bear – support, yield
5. beat – to strike, overcome;
   beat – exhausted;
   beet – a plant with red roots
6. cent – penny coin;
   scent – an odor;
   sent – past tense of send
7. chord – musical tone;
   cord – rope
8. council – committee;
   counsel – guidance
9. desert – to abandon;
   desert – dry land;
   dessert – after-dinner treat
10. dew – morning mist;
    do – operate;
    due – payable
11. doe – female deer;
    dough – uncooked bread
12. faze – impact;
    phase – stage
13. for – on behalf of;
    fore – front;
    four – three plus one
14. hear – to listen;
    here – at this place
15. hour – sixty minutes;
    our – belonging to us
16. knew – did know;
    new – not old
17. lead – metal;
    led – past tense of lead (to lead)
18. made – did make;
    maid – servant
19. meat – animal protein;
    meet – encounter
20. peak – highest point;
    peek – glance;
    pique – take one’s interest
21. patience – being willing to wait;
    patients – person treated in a hospital or by a doctor
22. principal – most important;
    principle – belief
23. rain – water from sky;
    rein – bridle;
    reign – to rule over
24. sea – ocean segment;
    see – observe with eyes
25. sew – connect with thread;
    so – as a result;
    sow – to plant
26. their – belonging to them;
    there – at that place;
    they’re – they are
27. threw – past tense of throw;
    through – passing from one place to another
28. throne – seat of power;
    thrown – to be tossed
29. to – toward;
    too – also;
    two – the number 2
30. weak – not strong;
    week – seven days
31. wear – to don attire;
    where – question word;
    ware – articles for sale
32. weather – climate;
    whether – if
33. which – that;
    witch – sorcerer
34. wood – material coming from trees;
    would – conditional auxiliary
35. your – belonging to you;
    you’re – you are

If ever you’re unsure whether you’re using the correct form of a word, look it up.

Another issue may arise in using a slang phrase or colloquialism. In this case, you can type the entire phrase into your search bar, and it’s most likely to be corrected.

For further information, see my other Spelling articles:

Related Articles:

How to Get The Most Out of Self-Editing
What is Copyediting?

Sources:

Aaron, J.E. & Morrison, A. The Little, Brown Compact Handbook, 5th Canadian ed. Pearson, 2013, chap 6

Judd, K. Copyediting, A Practical Guide, 3rd ed. California, CA: Crisp Learning, 2001, chap 5