1000 homophones with meanings
Table of Contents
Homophones
In linguistics, homophones are words that are spoken in the same manner and have the same sound. In English, there are a lot of homophones you can come across. They are referred to as homophones when two words have distinct meanings but have the same sound.
In a nutshell, homophones are words that may be used to express more than one meaning. These terms cannot be used interchangeably in a sentence because their meanings are distinct from one another. You should pay close attention to this since the explanation of words is not the same with one another. Yet the words have the same sounds. As a result, even though these words have the same sound patterns, their counterparts and meanings are distinct from one another. Many homophones are used in our everyday lives without us even noticing them. In comparison to other languages, English has a greater number of homophones because its pronunciation has evolved significantly through time, although its writing has changed relatively little.
Eye – I
My eye hurts, I think something is in it. (“Eye” is an organ.)
I don’t like to dance a lot. (“I” is a pronoun.)
Hi – High
Hi! How are you since the last time I saw you? (“Hi” is a greeting word.)
The building is very high. (“High” means a long distance from the ground.)
Know – No
I know that song! (“Know” means having information)
No, I don’t have the book with me. (“No” is a negative answer.)
Meet – Meat
John and I meet every day at lunch. (“Meet” means gather together.)
My favorite meat is steak. (“Meat” is a food.)
Witch – Which
This is a fantasy book about a witch’s life. (“Witch” is a supernatural character.)
I don’t like notebooks which have spirals on them. (“Which” means “that”.)
Some – Sum
There are some questions I need to ask you. (“Some” means a few.)
The sum of 3 and 2 is 5. (“Sum” means adding two numbers together.)
Pair – Pear
I need to pair the students to work together. (“Pair” means match.)
I bought pears on the way home. (“Pear” is a fruit.)
Plain – Plane
Our plane did not take off until 5 p.m. (“Plane” is a vehicle)
This is a very plain painting. (“Plain” means simple.)
Cereal – Serial
My favorite thing to eat in the mornings is a cup of cereal. (“Cereal” is a food.)
Serial killers tend to have mental health problems. (“Serial” means repeatedly.)
A
Abel — able
accede — exceed
accept — except
addition — edition
adds — adz — ads
affect — effect
affected — effected
ale — ail
all ready — already
all together — altogether
all ways — always
all — awl
ant — aunt
apatite — appetite
apprise — apprize
arc — ark
ariel — aerial
ark — arc
arrant — errant
ascent — assent
assistance — assistants
ate — eight
atom — Adam
ax — acts
axel — axle
axes — axis
aye — eye — I
ayes — eyes
B
baa — bah
baal — bail — bale
bait — bate
baited — bated
bald — balled — bawled
bale — baal — bail
ball — bawl
balled — bawled — bald
basal — basil
base — bass
based — baste
bases — basis
basil — basal
basis — bases
bask — basque
bass — base
baste — based
bate — bait
bated — baited
bawl — ball
been — bin
beer — bier
beet — beat
bell — belle
berry — bury
berth — birth
better — bettor
bib — bibb
bight — bite — byte
billed — build
bin — been
bird — burred
birth — berth
bite — byte — bight
bizarre — bazaar
blew — blue
bloc — block
bolder — boulder
bomb — bombe — balm
bootie — booty
border — boarder
bore — boar
bored — board
born — borne
borough — burro — burrow
bough — bow
bouillon — bullion
boy — buoy
braid — brayed
braise — brays
brake — break
brayed — braid
brays — braise
breach — breech
bread — bred
break — brake
bred — bread
breech — breach
brewed — brood
brews — bruise
bridal — bridle
broach — brooch
burro — burrow — borough
bury — berry
bussed — bust
but — butt
buy — by — bye
byte — bight — bite
C
cache — cash
caddie — caddy
Cain — cane
calendar — calender
cannon — canon
caster — castor
cause — caws
cedar — seeder
cede — seed
ceiling — sealing
cell — sell
cellar — seller
censor — sensor
cent — scent — sent
cents — scents — sense
cereal — serial
Ceres — series
cession — session
chance — chants
chased — chaste
chauffeur — shofar
cheap — cheep
check — Czech
cheep — cheap
chews — choose
chic — sheik
Chile — chilly — chili
choir — quire
choose — chews
choral — coral
chord — cord — cored
chute — shoot
cite — sight — site
cited — sided — sighted
clack — claque
clamber — clammer — clamor
claque — clack
clause — claws
clew — clue
click — clique
climb — clime
clique — click
close — clothes — cloze
clue — clew
coal — cole
coarse — course
coarser — courser
coat — cote
coax — cokes
coffers — coughers
cokes — coax
cole — coal
collard — collared
colonel — kernel
coolie — coulee
coop — coupe
cops — copse
coral — choral
cord — cored — chord
core — corps
cored — chord — cord
corps — core
coughers — coffers
coulee — coolie
council — counsel
coup — coo
course — coarse
courser — coarser
cousin — cozen
coward — cowered
coy — koi
cozen — cousin
craft — kraft
crape — crepe
crawl — kraal
creak — creek
crepe — crape
crewel — cruel
crews — cruise
cruel — crewel
cruise — crews
D
dam — damn
Dane — deign
days — daze
dear — deer
defused — diffused
deign — Dane
dense — dents
descent — dissent
desert (abandon) — dessert
dew — do — due
die — dye
diffused — defused
disburse — disperse
discreet — discrete
disperse — disburse
dissent — descent
duct — ducked
ducts — ducks
due — dew — do
duel — dual
dun — done
dye — die
dyeing — dying
E
earn — urn
eave — eve
edition — addition
educe — adduce
eek — eke
effect — affect
effected — affected
effects — affects
eight — ate
eke — eek
elicit — illicit
elude — allude
errant — arrant
eve — eave
ewe — you — yew
ewes — yews — use
exceed — accede
except — accept
F
facts — fax
faint — feint
fair — fare
fairy — ferry
fare — fair
fate — fete
faun — fawn
fax — facts
faze — phase
feat — feet
feint — faint
fends — fens
ferry — fairy
fete — fate
few — phew
fiancé — fiancée
flair — flare
flea — flee
flew — flu — flue
flier — flyer
flocks — phlox
floe — flow
flour — flower
flow — floe
flower — flour
flu — flue — flew
flyer — flier
foaled — fold
fort — forte
forth — fourth
forward — foreword
foul — fowl
four — fore — for
fourth — forth
fowl — foul
franc — frank
fur — fir
G
gaff — gaffe
Gail — gale
gait — gate
gale — Gail
gamble — gambol
gate — gait
gel — jell
gene — jean
gibe — jibe
gnu — knew — new
gofer — gopher
gored — gourd
gorilla — guerilla
gourd — gored
grade — grayed
graft — graphed
graham — gram
graphed — graft
Greece — grease
grill — grille
grisly — grizzly
groan — grown
guerilla — gorilla
guessed — guest
guild — gild
guilder — gilder
guilt — gilt
gym — Jim
H
hail — hale
hair — hare
hale — hail
hall — haul
halve — have
handmade — handmaid
handsome — hansom
hangar — hanger
hay — hey
hays — haze
he’d — heed
he’ll — heal — heel
hear — here
heard — herd
heart — hart
heroin — heroine
hertz — hurts
hew — hue — Hugh
hey — hay
hi — high
higher — hire
him — hymn
hire — higher
ho — hoe
hoard — horde
hoarse — horse
hoe — ho
hoes — hose
hold — holed
hole — whole
holed — hold
hour — our
hue — Hugh — hew
humerus — humorous
hurts — hertz
hymn — him
I
I — aye — eye
I’ll — aisle — isle
I’d — eyed
idle — idol — idyll
illicit — elicit
illusion — allusion
illusive — allusive — elusive
incite — insight
inn — in
innocence — innocents
J
jam — jamb
jean — gene
jell — gel
jibe — gibe
Jim — gym
K
karat — carat — carrot — caret
kernel — colonel
knap — nap
knave — nave
knead — kneed — need
L
lacks — lax
ladder — latter
lade — laid
lain — lane
lays — laze — leis
lea — lee
leach — leech
lead — led
leak — leek
lean — lien
leased — least
led — lead
lee — lea
leech — leach
liar — lier — lyre
lichen — liken
lie — lye
lien — lean
lier — lyre — liar
lieu — Lou
liken — lichen
links — lynx
literal — littoral
loch — lock
lochs — locks — lox
lock — loch
locks — lox — lochs
lode — lowed — load
lone — loan
loot — lute
Lou — lieu
low — lo
lowed — load — lode
M
madder — matter
made — maid
mail — male
main — mane — Maine
maize — maze
male — mail
mall — maul
marc — mark
mare — mayor
mark — marc
marry — merry — Mary
marshal — martial
marten — martin
Mary — marry — merry
massed — mast
mat — matte
matter — madder
medal — metal — mettle —
meddle
meet — mete — meat
merry — Mary — marry
metal — mettle — meddle —
medal
mete — meat — meet
meteor — meatier
mints — mince
missal — missile
missed — mist
misses — Mrs.
missile — missal
mist — missed
mite — might
moan — mown
moat — mote
mode — mowed
mood — mooed
moose — mousse
morn — mourn
morning — mourning
mote — moat
mourn — morn
mourning — morning
mousse — moose
mowed — mode
mown — moan
Mrs. — misses
mucous — mucus
mule — mewl
muscle — mussel
mustard — mustered
N
nap — knap
naval — navel
nave — knave
navel — naval
nay — neigh
need — knead — kneed
neigh — nay
new — gnu — knew
nice — gneiss
Nice — niece
nickers — knickers
niece — Nice
night — knight
nit — knit
nun — none
O
oar — or — ore
ode — owed
oh — owe
one — won
overseas — oversees
owe — oh
owed — ode
P
paced — paste
packed — pact
padded — patted
paean — paeon — peon
pail — pale
pain — pane
pair — pare — pear
palate — palette — pallet
pale — pail
parish — perish
parlay — parley
passed — past
paste — paced
patience — patients
patted — padded
Paul — pall
pause — paws
pea — pee
peace — piece
peak — peek — pique
peal — peel
pear — pair — pare
pearl — purl
peas — pees
peat — Pete
pedal — peddle — petal
pee — pea
peek — pique — peak
peel — peal
peer — pier
pees — peas
pekoe — picot
penance — pennants
peon — paean — paeon
per — purr
perish — parish
pervade — purveyed
petal — pedal — peddle
Pete — peat
petrel — petrol
pew — pugh
phase — faze
phew — few
Phil — fill
pidgin — pigeon
pie — pi
piece — peace
pier — peer
pigeon — pidgin
Pilate — pilot
pique — peak — peek
pistil — pistol
plum — plumb
pole — poll
pore — pour
praise — prays — preys
pray — prey
prays — preys — praise
precedence — precedents
premier — premiere
presence — presents
prey — pray
preys — praise — prays
pride — pried
primer — primmer
prince — prints
principal — principle
Q
quarts — quartz
queue — cue
quince — quints
quire — choir R
rabbet — rabbit
rack — wrack
rain — reign — rein
raise — rays — raze
rap — wrap
rapped — rapt — wrapped
rapper — wrapper
rapt — wrapped — rapped
rays — raze — raise
read — red
read — reed
real — reel
red — read
reed — read
reek — wreak
reel — real
reign — rein — rain
residence — residents
rest — wrest
retch — wretch
review — revue
rheum — room
rigger — rigor
right — rite — write
rigor — rigger
ring — wring
rite — write — right
road — rode — rowed
roam — Rome
rode — rowed — road
roe — row
role — roll
Rome — roam
room — rheum
roomer — rumor
root — route
rose — rows
rote — wrote
rouse
rows — rose
rude — rued
rue — roux
rued — rude
ruff — rough
rumor — roomer
S
sac — sack
sachet — sashay
sack — sac
sacks — sax
sail — sale
sane — seine
sari — sorry
sashay — sachet
saver — savor
sax — sacks
scene — seen
scent — sent — cent
scents — sense — cents
scull — skull
sea — see
sealing — ceiling
seam — seem
sear — seer — sere
seas — sees — seize
see — sea
seed — cede
seeder — cedar
seem — seam
seen — scene
seer — sere — sear
sees — seize — seas
seine — sane
seize — seas — sees
sell — cell
seller — cellar
sense — cents — scents
sensor — censor
sent — cent — scent
sere — sear — seer
serf — surf
serge — surge
serial — cereal
series — Ceres
shoe — shoo
shofar — chauffeur
shone — shown
shoo — shoe
shoot — chute
shown — shone
sic — sick
side — sighed
sided — sighted — cited
sighed — side
sighs — size
sight — site — cite
sighted — cited — sided
signet — cygnet
sink — sync
Sioux — sue
site — cite — sight
size — sighs
skull — scull
slay — sleigh
sleight — slight
slew — slue — slough
slight — sleight
sloe — slow
soar — sore
soared — sword
sold — soled
sole — soul
soled — sold
some — sum
son — sun
soot — suit
sore — soar
sorry — sari
soul — sole
sow — sew — so
spade — spayed
staid — stayed
stair — stare
stake — steak
stare — stair
stationary — stationery
stayed — staid
steak — stake
steal — steel
step — steppe
stile — style
straight — strait
straightened — straitened
style — stile
sue — Sioux
suede — swayed
sun — son
sundae — Sunday
surf — serf
surge — serge
swayed — suede
sweet — suite
sword — soared
symbol — cymbal
sync — sink
T
tacked — tact
tacks — tax
tact — tacked
taught — taut
taupe — tope
taut — taught
tax — tacks
tea — tee
team — teem
tear — tier
teas — tease — tees
tee — tea
teem — team
tees — teas — tease
tends — tens
tense — tents
tern — turn
terry — tarry
Thai — tie
theirs — there’s
there — they’re — their
there’s — theirs
they’re — their — there
threw — through
throes — throws
throne — thrown
tie — Thai
tied — tide
tier — tear
tigress — Tigris
timber — timbre
time — thyme
to — too — two
toad — toed — towed
toe — tow
toed — towed — toad
told — tolled
too — two — to
tool — tulle
tope — taupe
tort — torte
tortuous — torturous
tow — toe
towed — toad — toed
tracked — tract
trader — traitor
troop — troupe
trussed — trust
turn — tern
tutor — tooter — Tudor
tux — tucks
two — to — too
U
udder — utter
undo — undue
urn — earn
use — ewes — yews
utter — udder
V
vain — vane — vein
valance — valence
vale — veil
valence — valance
vane — vein — vain
vary — very
veil — vale
vein — vain — vane
venous — Venus
vice — vise
vile — vial
vise — vice
W
wade — weighed
wader — waiter
wail — whale — wale
wails — Wales — whales
wain — wane — Wayne
waist — waste
wale — wail — whale
Wales — whales — wails
walk — wok
wane — Wayne — wain
want — wont
war — wore
ware — wear — where
wares — where’s — wears
wax — whacks
way — weigh — whey
Wayne — wain — wane
ways — weighs
we — wee
we’ll — wheel
weak — week
wear — where — ware
wears — wares — where’s
weather — whether — wether
weave — we’ve
we’d — weed
whined — wind — wined
whir — were
whirled — whorled — world
whirred — word
whoa — woe
whole — hole
wholly — holey — holy
whoop — hoop
weighs — ways
weight — wait
we’ll — wheel
were — whir
wet — whet
wether — weather — whether
we’ve — weave
whacks — wax
whale — wale — wail
whales — wails — Wales
wheel — we’ll
where — ware — wear
where’s — wears — wares
whet — wet
whorled — world — whirled
who’s — whose
wile — while
wind — wined — whined
wine — whine
wined — whined — wind
witch — which
woe — whoa
wok — walk
wrapper — rapper
wreak — reek
wrest — rest
wretch — retch
wring — ring
write — right — rite
wrote — rote
wrung — rung
wry — rye
Y
yew — ewe — you
yews — use — ewes
yoke — yolk
you’ll — Yule
your — you’re — yore
Yule — you’ll
