Homophones: 111 Popular Sets of Homophones for ESL Learners

Homophones can be confusing, but they’re an important part of the English language. Knowing the difference between homophones can help you communicate more clearly and avoid misunderstandings. In this article, we’ll explore what homophones are, give you some examples, and offer tips on how to use them correctly. By the end of this article, you’ll be a homophone expert!

So why are homophones important? Well, for one thing, they can be a source of humor. Many jokes and puns rely on the fact that two words sound the same but have different meanings. But homophones are also important for clear communication. Using the wrong homophone can completely change the meaning of a sentence, and it’s important to get it right. In this article, we’ll help you understand homophones so you can use them correctly and confidently. Let’s get started!

Homophones

What Is a Homophone?

A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning. A homophone may also differ in spelling. The two words may be spelled the same or different.
List of Homophones

Homophone Examples

Four –  For

  • The clock struck four.
  • I bought John some sweets for his birthday.

Eight – Ate

  • There were only eight days left until Christmas.
  • We ate dinner together then went home.

Cereal – Serial

  • My favorite cereal is corn flakes.
  • The serial killer loved watching serials on TV!

Meat – Meet

  • The hotel guests got food poisoning because the meat wasn’t cooked properly.
  • I’m going to meet my friend at the train station this evening.

Maize – Maze

  • It is common for manufacturers to use maize as an ingredient in many processed foods.
  • Chatsworth House has a maze that is made up of a network of paths and hedges.
Related  Homonyms: When Words Sound the Same but Have Different Meanings

Steal – Steel

  • If you steal goods from a shop, this is called “shoplifting”.
  • The new art museum is made entirely of glass and steel.

Accept – Except

  • It would be difficult for us to accept.
  • I have everything what I want except you.

List of Homophones

List of Homophones

Here is a useful list of homophones you should know. In this list of homophones, you will find simple, intermediate and more advanced level vocabulary.

  • Abel – Able
  • Accede – Exceed
  • Accept – Except
  • Addition – Edition
  • Adds – Adz
  • Affect vs Effect
  • Yule – You’ll
  • Ale – Ail
  • All ready – Already
  • Ax – Acts
  • Axel – Axle
  • Axes – Axis
  • Beer – Bier
  • Beet – Beat
  • Bell – Belle
  • Berry – Bury
  • Berth – Birth
  • Your – You’re
  • Yoke – Yolk
  • Bight – Bite
  • Wear – Where
  • Bussed – Bust
  • Weak – Week
  • Buy – By – Bye
  • We’ll – Wheel
  • Cache – Cash
  • Vein – Vain
  • Cain – Cane
  • Cheap – Cheep
  • Check – Czech
  • Clique – Click
  • Colonel – Kernel
  • Coolie – Coulee
  • Coop – Coupe
  • Cops – Copse
  • Coral – Choral
  • Cord – Cored
  • Core – Corps
  • Veil – Vale
  • Vary – Very
  • Coughers – Coffers
  • Sari – Sorry
  • Council – Counsel
  • Coup – Coo
  • Course – Coarse
  • Cousin – Cozen
  • Coward – Cowered
  • Coy – Koi
  • Sane – Seine
  • Craft – Kraft
  • Crape – Crepe
  • Crawl – Kraal
  • Creak – Creek
  • Rued – Rude
  • Dyeing – Dying
  • Fare – Fair
  • Fate – Fete
  • Faun – Fawn
  • Fax – Facts
  • Faze – Phase
  • Feat – Feet
  • Feint – Faint
  • Fends – Fens
  • Flour – Flower
  • Flow – Floe
  • Rows – Rose
  • Flu – Flue – Flew
  • Root – Route
  • Foaled – Fold
  • Fort – Forte
  • Knew – New
  • Roomer – Rumor
  • Role – Roll
  • Gorilla – Guerilla
  • Pore – Pour
  • Grade – Grayed
  • Graft – Graphed
  • Graham – Gram
  • Pole – Poll
  • Palate – Pallet
  • Hertz – Hurts
  • Hew – Hue
  • Pair – Pare
  • Hi – High
  • Higher – Hire
  • Night – Knight
  • Niece – Nice
  • Neigh – Nay
  • Hoard – Horde
  • Hoarse – Horse
  • Navel – Naval
  • Mrs – Misses
  • Hold – Holed
  • Hole – Whole
  • Mown – Moan
  • Mowed – Mode
  • Mark – Marc
  • Leased – Least
  • Led – Lead
  • Leech – Leach
  • Lock – Loch
  • Lichen – Liken
  • Lie – Lye
  • Lien – Lean
  • Male – Mail
  • Maize – Maze
  • Main – Mane
  • Literal – Littoral
  • Lone – Loan
  • Lode – Load
Related  Homonyms: When Words Sound the Same but Have Different Meanings

List of Homophones

Common English Homophones

There, Their, They’re

These three words sound exactly the same, but they have different meanings. “There” refers to a place or location, “their” is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership, and “they’re” is a contraction of “they are.” Here’s a table to help you understand the differences:

Homophone Meaning
There A place or location
Their Possessive pronoun
They’re Contraction of “they are”

Two, Too, To

The words “two,” “too,” and “to” also sound alike, but they have different meanings. “Two” is a number, “too” means also or excessively, and “to” is a preposition used to indicate direction or movement. Here’s a table to help you understand the differences:

Homophone Meaning
Two The number 2
Too Also or excessively
To Preposition indicating direction or movement

Your, You’re

“Your” and “you’re” are homophones that are often confused. “Your” is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership, and “you’re” is a contraction of “you are.” Here’s a table to help you understand the differences:

Homophone Meaning
Your Possessive pronoun
You’re Contraction of “you are”

Its, It’s

“Its” and “it’s” are homophones that are often confused. “Its” is a possessive pronoun used to show ownership, and “it’s” is a contraction of “it is” or “it has.” Here’s a table to help you understand the differences:

Homophone Meaning
Its Possessive pronoun
It’s Contraction of “it is” or “it has”

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common homophones for kids?

Some common homophones for kids include “to”, “too”, and “two”, “there”, “their”, and “they’re”, “your” and “you’re”, “its” and “it’s”, “where” and “wear”, “hear” and “here”, “meet” and “meat”, “right” and “write”, “flower” and “flour”, “bare” and “bear”, “blew” and “blue”, “no” and “know”, “see” and “sea”.

Related  Homonyms: When Words Sound the Same but Have Different Meanings

Can you provide 25 examples of homophones?

Sure, here are 25 examples of homophones: “ate” and “eight”, “bare” and “bear”, “be” and “bee”, “blew” and “blue”, “buy” and “by”, “cell” and “sell”, “cent” and “scent”, “dear” and “deer”, “die” and “dye”, “fair” and “fare”, “flower” and “flour”, “hear” and “here”, “knight” and “night”, “know” and “no”, “mail” and “male”, “meat” and “meet”, “new” and “knew”, “right” and “write”, “sea” and “see”, “son” and “sun”, “their” and “there”, “to” and “too” and “two”, “wait” and “weight”, “wear” and “where”.

What are the different types of homophones?

There are two types of homophones: true homophones and homographs. True homophones are words that are pronounced the same way but have different meanings and spellings, such as “too” and “two”. Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and pronunciations, such as “tear” (to rip) and “tear” (a drop of water from your eye).

Could you give me 10 examples of homophones?

Sure, here are 10 examples of homophones: “ate” and “eight”, “bare” and “bear”, “blew” and “blue”, “dear” and “deer”, “flower” and “flour”, “mail” and “male”, “meat” and “meet”, “sea” and “see”, “their” and “there”, “wait” and “weight”.

What is the difference between homophones and homographs?

Homophones are words that are pronounced the same way but have different meanings and spellings, while homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and pronunciations.

Last Updated on November 9, 2023

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