Language/English/Grammar/Homophones

Homophones

Definition

In English, there are some words that have the exact same pronunciation but different meanings and different spellings. These words are called homophones.

Why is the Knowledge of Homophones Essential?

Since they are pronounced identically or nearly identically, language learners must take care not to misunderstand or become confused when listening to spoken conversation.

In order to be certain of the meanings of these homophones, the language learner must master them and acknowledge their different meanings.

At any rate, in cases of confusion, the context of the use of the words in conversation might help out.

Examples of Homophones

Below are some famous homophones that language learners should look out for:

Word	Homophone
Forth	Fourth
Gate	Gait
Berry	Bury
Bread	Bred
Bored	Board
Cue	Queue
Deer	Dear
Doe	Dough
Fare	Fair
Feet	Feat
Lead	Led
Lone	Loan
Mail	Male
Meet	Meat
Nun	None
Made	Maid
One	Won
Their	There
Son	Sun
Tear	Tier
Blew	Blue
Steal	Steel
Knot	Not
Know	No
Stake	Steak
Sight	Site
Hour	Our
Heard	Herd
Great	Grate
Hole	Whole
New	Knew
Hire	Higher
Peace	Piece
Find	Fined
Brake	Break
Tear	Tare
Bare	Bear
Knight	Night
Staid	Stayed
Plain	Plane
Walk	Wok
Wait	Weight
Flour	Flower
Cell	Sell
To	Two
To	Too
New	Gnu
Sale	Sail
Bale	Bail
Carrot	Karat
You	Ewe
Pray	Prey
Flow	Floe
Bore	Boar
Symbol	Cymbal
Slay	Sleigh
Slough	Slew
Might	Mite
Soul	Sole
Won	One
For	Four
Fore	For / Four
Poor	Poor / Pore
Pair	Pare
Sign	Sine
Band	Banned
Fairy	Ferry
Shiek	Chic
Shiek	Shake
Cache	Cash
Fare	Fair / Faire
Metal	Mettle
Medal	Meddle
Die	Dye
Dire	Dyer
Tide	Tied
Day	Dais (UK & American New England pronunciation)
Through	Threw
Grown	Groan
Check	Cheque
Click	Clique
Sight	Site/ Cite

xxxxx

Forth	Fourth
Bale	Bail
Band	Banned
Bare	Bear
Berry	Bury
Blew	Blue
Bore	Boar
Bored	Board
Brake	Break
Bread	Bred
Cache	Cash
Carrot	Karat
Cell	Sell
Check	Cheque
Click	Clique
Cue	Queue
Day	Dais (UK & American New England pronunciation)
Deer	Dear
Die	Dye
Dire	Dyer
Doe	Dough
Fairy	Ferry
Fare	Fair / Faire
Fare	Fair
Feet	Feat
Find	Fined
Flour	Flower
Flow	Floe
For	Four
Fore	For / Four
Gate	Gait
Great	Grate
Grown	Groan
Heard	Herd
Hire	Higher
Hole	Whole
Hour	Our
Knight	Night
Knot	Not
Know	No
Lead	Led
Lone	Loan
Made	Maid
Mail	Male
Medal	Meddle
Meet	Meat
Metal	Mettle
Might	Mite
New	Knew
New	Gnu
Nun	None
One	Won
Pair	Pare
Peace	Piece
Plain	Plane
Poor	Poor / Pore
Pray	Prey
Sale	Sail
Shiek	Chic
Shiek	Shake
Sight	Site
Sight	Site/ Cite
Sign	Sine
Slay	Sleigh
Slough	Slew
Son	Sun
Soul	Sole
Staid	Stayed
Stake	Steak
Steal	Steel
Symbol	Cymbal
Tear	Tier
Tear	Tare
Their	There
Through	Threw
Tide	Tied
To	Two
To	Too
Wait	Weight
Walk	Wok
Won	One
You	Ewe