English Homophones and Homographs List with meaning
Homonyms generally include two categories of word types: homophones and homographs.
- Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings.
- Homophones Homophones are words that have exactly the same sound (pronunciation) but different meanings and (usually) different spelling.
For example, the following two words have the same sound, but different meanings and spelling:
- hour and our
In the next example, the two words have the same sound and spelling, but different meanings:
- bear (the animal)
- bear (to carry)
Usually homophones are in groups of two (our, hour), but very occasionally they can be in groups of three (to, too, two) or even four. If we take our “bear” example, we can add another word to the group:
- bare (naked)
- bear (the animal)
- bear (to tolerate)
This list contains both homophones and homographs
ade | drink type, as in lemonade |
aid | to help or assist |
aide | assistant |
affect | change |
effect | result or consequence |
air | atmosphere (the stuff we breathe) |
err | to make a mistake |
aisle | walkway |
I’ll | I will |
isle | island |
allowed | permitted |
aloud | out loud |
ant | picnic pest |
aunt | relative, as in your mom’s sister |
arc | curve |
ark | Noah’s boat |
ate | chewed up and swallowed |
eight | number after seven |
bare | uncovered |
bear | grizzly animal |
berry | fruit from a bush |
bury | to put underground |
base | bottom part |
bass | deep or low |
be | to exist |
bee | buzzing insect |
beach | sandy shore |
beech | type of tree |
beat | to pound |
beet | type of edible plant |
berth | tie up |
birth | to be born |
bite | nibble |
byte | 8 bits (computer data) |
blew | past of blow |
blue | color of ocean |
boar | pig |
bore | not interesting boreto drill |
borough | area or district |
burrow | dig through |
burro | small donkey |
bough | branch |
bow | bend or curtsy |
buoy | floater |
boy | young man |
brake | stop pedal |
break | smash |
bread | bakery food |
bred | form of breed |
broach | mention |
brooch | pin |
brows | eyebrows |
browse | look around |
buy | purchase |
by | beside |
by | originating from, |
bye | short for goodbye |
cell | compartment |
sell | vend |
cent | penny coin of USA |
sent | did send |
cereal | breakfast food |
serial | sequential |
Chile | country in South America |
chili | bean stew |
chilly | frosty |
chord | musical tone |
cord | rope |
cite | quote |
site | location |
sight | view |
close | opposite of open |
clothes | clothing |
complement | enhance; go together |
compliment | praise |
council | committee |
counsel | guidance |
creak | squeak |
creek | stream of water |
crews | gangs |
cruise | ride on a boat |
dear | darling |
deer | woodland animal |
dew | morning mist |
do | operate |
due | payable |
die | cease to exist |
dye | color |
doe | female deer |
dough | uncooked bread |
dual | double |
duel | battle |
ewe | female sheep |
you | second-person personal pronoun |
eye | sight organ |
I | me |
fair | equal |
fare | price |
fairy | elflike creature with wings |
ferry | boat |
faze | impact |
phase | stage |
feat | achievement |
feet | plural of foot |
fir | type of tree |
fur | animal hair |
flea | small biting insect |
flee | run |
flew | did fly |
flu | illness |
flour | powdery, ground up grain |
flower | blooming plant |
for | on behalf of |
fore | front |
four | one more than three |
forth | onward |
fourth | number four |
knew | did know |
new | not old |
gorilla | big ape |
guerrilla | warrior |
grease | fat |
Greece | country in Europe |
groan | moan |
grown | form of grow |
hair | head covering |
hare | rabbit-like animal |
hall | passageway |
haul | tow |
halve | cut in two parts |
have | possess |
hay | animal food |
hey | interjection to get attention |
heal | mend |
heel | back of foot |
hi | hello |
high | up far |
hoarse | croaky |
horse | riding animal |
hole | opening |
whole | entire |
holey | full of holes |
holy | divine |
wholly | entirely |
hour | sixty minutes |
our | belonging to us |
knead | massage |
need | desire |
knight | feudal horseman |
night | evening |
knot | tied rope |
not | negative |
know | have knowledge |
no | opposite of yes |
lead | metal |
led | was the leader |
lessen | make smaller |
lesson | class |
loan | lend |
lone | solitary |
made | did make |
maid | servant |
postage | |
male | opposite of female |
marry | to wed |
merry | very happy |
meat | animal protein |
meet | encounter |
none | not any |
nun | woman who takes special vows |
oar | boat paddle |
or | otherwise |
ore | mineral |
oh | expression of surprise or awe |
owe | be obligated |
one | single |
won | did win |
overdo | do too much |
overdue | past due date |
pail | bucket |
pale | not bright |
pain | hurt |
pane | window glass |
peace | calm |
piece | segment |
peak | highest point |
peek | glance |
plain | ordinary |
plane | flight machine |
plane | flat surface |
pole | post |
poll | survey |
poor | not rich |
pour | make flow |
pray | implore God |
prey | quarry |
principal | most important |
principle | belief |
rain | water from sky |
rein | bridle |
rap | tap |
wrap | drape around |
real | factual |
reel | roll |
right | correct; not left |
write | scribble |
ring | encircle |
wring | squeeze |
role | function |
roll | rotate |
rose | flower |
rows | lines |
sail | move by wind power |
sale | bargain price |
scene | landscape |
seen | viewed |
sea | ocean segment |
see | observe with eyes |
seam | joining edge |
seem | appear |
sew | connect with thread |
so | as a result |
sow | plant |
soar | ascend |
sore | hurt place |
sole | single |
soul | essence |
some | a few |
sum | amount |
steal | swipe |
steel | alloy |
tail | animal’s appendage |
tale | story |
their | belonging to them |
there | at that place |
they’re | they are |
to | toward |
too | also |
toe | foot appendage |
tow | pull along |
vary | differ |
very | much |
wail | howl |
whale | huge swimming mammal |
waist | area below ribs |
waste | squander |
wait | kill time |
weight | measurable load |
war | battle |
wore | did wear |
warn | caution |
worn | used |
way | path |
weigh | measure mass |
we | us |
wee | tiny |
weak | not strong |
week | period of seven days |
weather | climate |
whether | if |
which | that |
witch | sorcerer |
your | belonging to you |
you’re | you are |