HOMOGRAPHS
are two or more words that are spelled the same but have different meanings
and origins. Heteronyms are a type
of homograph that are also spelled the same and have different meanings, but
sound different.
To make it even more complicated, words
that sound the same and are spelled the same are both homonyms (same sound) and
homographs (same spelling).
Common
and Confusing Homonyms and Homographs
all awl (pointed
tool)
all together (everyone) altogether (entirely)
allot (distribute) a lot (a large amount)
allowed aloud
altar alter
always (at all times) all ways (all methods)
ante- (before) anti- (against)
arc ark
ascent (climb) assent (agree)
ate eight
aye (agreement) eye I
bass (fish) bass (low note)
bale bail
bare bear
bazaar (market) bizarre (weird)
be bee
beat beet
billed build
birth (childbearing) berth (place of rest)
blew blue
bloc block
board (plank) bored (uninterested)
bolder boulder
born (given birth to) borne (carried)
brake (stopping device) break (smash)
bough bow (violin) bow (gesture)
boy bouy
brake break
bread bred
bridal bridle
broach brooch
bouillon bullion
buy (purchase) bye
(team w/o opponent)) by (preposition)
cache cash
callous callus
canvas (fabric) canvass (examine)
capital (city, money) capitol (building)
carat (unit of weight) carrot (edible root) karat (one 24th part of pure gold)
cede seed
ceiling sealing
cell sell
cellar seller
censer (incense dish) censor (prohibit) sensor (measuring device)
cereal serial
cession session
chews choose
chord cord
chute shoot
cite (to refer to) sight (vision) site
(location)
coarse (rough) course (way, path)
colonel (officer) kernel (seed)
compliment (praise) complement (complete)
council (committee) counsel (advice, advisor)
creak creek
curser (swearer) cursor (computer)
desert (leave a post) desert (arid land)
dissent (disagreement) descent (move down)
dual (two parts) duel (fight)
dye (color) die (expire)
ensure (make certain) insure (indemnify)
everyday (ordinary) every day (each day)
ewe (sheep) you yew (bush)
exercise (activity) exorcise (drive out)
fair (just) fare (food, fee)
faze (disturb) phase (stage)
flew flu
for fore four
forth (forward) fourth (4th)
gorilla (ape) guerilla (fighter)
hear (listen) here (place)
heard herd
heroin (drug) heroine (lead character)
hi high
hole (opening) whole (entire)
holy (sacred) wholly (entirely)
hour our
its (possessive of it) it’s (contraction of it is)
knight night
knot not
know no
knows nose
lead led
lesson (instruction) lessen (reduce)
lichen (simple fungus) liken (compare)
lie (prone) lie (falsehood)
lightning (storm) lightening (reduce)
load (cargo) lode
(mineral vein)
loch (lake) lock (security device) lock (strand of hair))
loot (ill-gotten gains) lute (stringed instrument)
made maid
marshal (bring together) martial (related to war)
maybe (perhaps) may be (could be)
meat (food) meet (encounter)
metal (ductile element) mettle (character)
miner (excavator) minor (under age)
missal (prayer book) missile (projectile)
missed mist
mode (condition) mowed (cut lawn)
moral (right conduct) morel (mushroom)
morning (AM) mourning (grieving)
mustard (spice) mustered
(assembled/summoned)
nay (no) neigh (horse sound)
oar (rowing device) or (choice) ore
(mineraliferous rock)
ode owed
one won
pair (two) pear (fruit) pare (peel, reduce)
palate (taste) pallet (wood platform) palette (many colors)
passed (went by) past (earlier time)
peace (absence of war) piece (part of)
peak (mountain top) peek (quick glance) pique (injured pride)
peal (ringing) peel (fruit wrap)
pealed (rang with sound) peeled (removed fruit skin)
peer (look, equal) pier (pillar)
per (for each) purr (cat noise)
pi (math: 3.1416) pie (dessert)
plain (simple, flat land) plane (flying)
plait (braid) plate (dish)
plum (fruit) plumb (straight up/down)
pole (from Poland
poor (no money) pore (micro opening) pour (flow freely)
praise (compliment) prays (worships) preys (hunts)
pray (ask) prey (hunt)
presence (being present) presents (gifts)
prince (King’s son) prints (impressions)
principle (rule) principal (leader,
money)
quarts (measurement) quartz (crystal)
rabbet (groove in a board) rabbit (small mammal)
racket (illegal scheme) racquet (tennis)
rain (precipitation) reign (rule) rein (animal)
raise (lift) rays (light/energy beams) raze (tear down)
rap (sharp knock/music) wrap (encase)
read reed
real (genuine) reel (device for
winding) reel (dance)
review revue
road (path) rode (past tense of ride)
sea (ocean) see (vision)
scene (setting) seen (perceived)
scent sent cent
sew (with thread) so sow (seeds)
shone (past tense shine) shown (displayed)
stationary (still) stationery (paper)
straight (not curved) strait (narrow place)
tail tale
taut (tight) taught (past tense teach)
tear (eye) tear (rip) tare (weight)
there their they're
threw through
to (preposition) too (also) two
toe tow
told tolled
vain vein
waist waste
waist waste
wait weight
way weigh
weak (feeble) week (seven days)
weather (atmospheric) whether (if, in case)
wear (on body) where
(place)
which (that one) witch (sorceress)
whose (possessive) who’s (who is)
write (pen) wright
(as in ship wright) right (correct)
For additional examples, see:
http://www.cooper.com/alan/homonym_list.html
It is easy for not native speakers to get confused with similar words but nevertheless if you are eager to be proficient in English writing you should crearly distinguish them, this source can help you to succeed in it http://royalediting.com/feel-the-difference-homophones-homonyms-and-homographs
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