What is a Homophone? Understanding and Mastering Sound-Alike Words

Wondering what is a homophone?

Well, you’re not alone! Homophones are a fascinating part of the English language. They enrich our vocabulary, but they can also confuse us. Especially when it comes to spelling.

In this blog, we’ll clarify what homophones are, provide over 100 examples of homophones in sentences and address common challenges students face. We’ll cover tips for spotting homophones in context and how to tell homophones apart from homonyms, homographs and more.

Whether you’re a student, parent or language enthusiast, this guide will help you navigate the curious and complex world of English homophones.

In this article:

Table of Contents

What is a homophone?

A homophone is a word that shares the same pronunciation with another word but differs in meaning, spelling or both. For example, the words “sea” and “see” sound identical when spoken, yet “sea” is a large body of saltwater, while “see” means to perceive or understand. This distinction in meaning, despite the identical pronunciation, is what defines a homophone.

Homophones can make English challenging, as relying solely on sound sometimes leads to misunderstandings. But they also lead to wordplay and jokes! So think of homophones as an opportunity to experiment with language and have fun.

Identifying and using homophones correctly is a key skill that’s taught from early Key Stage Two, right through to GCSE, A Level and beyond. So, let’s look at a few examples.

What is an example of a homophone?

Consider the words “knight” and “night.” Both sound the same when spoken, but “knight” refers to a medieval warrior, while “night” is the time between sunset and sunrise.

Another example is “bark,” which means the sound a dog makes or the outer covering of a tree.

These examples show how homophones can lead to completely different meanings depending on context – even though they sound alike and have the same spelling.

What are the different types of homophones?

There are a few different types of homophones. This includes perfect homophones and near-homophones, as well as more technical-sounding categories like capitonyms, homographs and heterographs. But don’t worry, once you know the difference, they’re easy to tell apart.

Here’s a brief explanation.

Perfect homophones: These words sound alike and have different meanings and spellings. For instance, “bare” (without covering) and “bear” (the animal) are perfect homophones.
Heterographs: This is just another term for “perfect homophones” – words that share the same pronunciation but differ in spelling and meaning, such as “one” (the number) and “won” (past tense of win).
Capitonyms: These words change meaning when the first letter is capitalised. For example, “Polish” (relating to Poland) versus “polish” (to make something shine).
Pseudo-homophones and near-homophones: These words sound similar but aren’t identical in pronunciation, like “affect” (to influence) and “effect” (a result), or “advice” (a recommendation) and “advise” (to offer guidance).
Homographs: Actually a sub-category of homonyms, but homographs are words spelt the same, but with different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations. An example is “lead,” which can mean to guide (pronounced “leed”) or refer to a type of metal (pronounced “led”).

What is the difference between a homonym and a homophone?

Homonyms are an overarching category that includes both homophones and homographs.

Specifically, homonyms are words that are either spelt the same (homographs) or sound the same (homophones) but have different meanings. Therefore, while all homophones are homonyms, not all homonyms are homophones.

Here’s a simple definition for each.

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. These words can have different spellings (like “flower” and “flour”) or the same spelling (such as “bark,” which can mean the sound a dog makes or the outer covering of a tree).
Homographs are words spelt the same but with different meanings. They may have different pronunciations (like “lead” as in the metal and “lead” as in to guide someone) or the same pronunciation (such as “bat,” which can refer to an animal or a piece of sports equipment).
Homonyms can be either homophones, homographs, or both. Some people believe the term “homonym” should only apply to words spelt the same but with different meanings and pronunciations, like “tear” (to rip something) and “tear” (a drop of liquid from the eye).

How many different homophones are there?

The English language is rich with homophones. Estimates suggest there are around 6,000 different pears (whoops, pairs). This vast number highlights the complexity and nuance of English, providing both challenges and opportunities for learners.

What is an example of an incorrect homophone?

Understanding homophones (and avoiding incorrect homophones) is vital for young learners as it improves writing clarity and comprehension. Mastery of homophones not only helps children express their ideas but also prepares them for standardised tests like SATs, CATs and verbal reasoning papers in 11+ exams.

To give an example of an incorrect homophone, many people struggle with “your” and “you’re.” “Your” is a possessive adjective, as in “your jacket,” indicating ownership, whereas “you’re” is a contraction of “you are,” as in “you’re late.” Confusing these can alter the meaning of a sentence entirely.

Similarly, the words “to,” “too,” and “two” often trip people up. “To” functions as a preposition, “too” means also or excessively, and “two” refers to the number 2.

How do you identify homophones in a sentence?

To identify homophones in a sentence, it’s essential to consider the context and intended meaning. Using a few simple strategies will clarify which homophone is correct.

Here are some tips.

Context clues: When reading, explore the surrounding words and overall meaning of the sentence to determine the correct homophone. Focus on both written and spoken forms, building familiarity through practice.
Substitution test: Replace the word with its homophone and see if the sentence still makes sense. For example, “She knew the sea was vast” would not work with “see.”
Worksheets and activities: Download worksheets or activities from educational websites to practise identifying homophones. Twinkl and BBC Bitesize are good places to start.
Word lists and mats: Display and study lists of common homophones to familiarise yourself with their spellings and meanings. Have a go at cutting them up, and moving them around to make pairs.
Vocabulary games: Word games, crosswords and quizzes are some of the best ways to reinforce homophones in a fun way. Can you have a contest to see who can list the most homophones?

What is an example of a homophone with sentences?

Now we’ve explored what homophones are and how they can sometimes trip us up, it’s time for practical examples. Here is a list of 100 homophones, accompanied by sentences highlighting their meanings.

Have a go at practising with these pairs, to sharpen your language skills and avoid common mix-ups. Can you add more to the list? Have fun!

What are 20 homophones?

Ready? Here are your first 20 homophones…

Aisle (a passage between rows) / Isle (an island) — As she walked down the aisle, she dreamed of honeymooning on a sunny isle.
Affect (to influence) / Effect (a result) — The new law will affect many people and have a significant effect on the community.
Ate (past tense of eat) / Eight (the number 8) — He ate dinner at eight o’clock sharp.
Bare (naked) / Bear (a large animal) — The bear walked across the bare ground of the forest.
Based (information supporting an opinion or belief) / Baste (pour cooking fat or juices over meat or fish) — The girl was asked to baste the chicken, based on the Head Chef’s instructions.
Be (to exist) / Bee (a flying insect) — She wanted to be a beekeeper and care for each bee.
Brake (a device for slowing or stopping) / Break (to fracture) — He pressed the brake pedal gently, hoping not to break the silence of the night.
Bolder (more courageous) / Boulder (a large rock) — Climbing over the boulder made him feel bolder and more adventurous.
Build (to make) / Billed (having a beak, sending a bill or appearing in a performance) — They had to build a statue of an orange-billed duck.
Buy (to purchase) / By (next to) / Bye (short for goodbye) — We stopped by the store to buy some snacks before saying bye to our friends.
Cache (a storage place) / Cash (money) — The thieves found the hidden cache of treasure but were disappointed it was not cash.
Canvas (a type of fabric) / Canvass (to solicit votes or opinions) — The artist prepared his canvas while his campaign team went out to canvass the neighbourhood.
Capital (a city or a wealth) / Capitol (a building where a legislative body meets) — The nation’s capital is known for its historic capitol building.
Cell (a small room or biological unit) / Sell (to exchange for money) — The scientist examined the cell while deciding whether to sell his discovery.
Cents (US currency) / Sense (perception or feeling) — It makes good sense to save all the cents you earn.
Cereal (grain used for food) / Serial (a series) — He ate a bowl of cereal while watching his favourite serial drama on TV.
Chili (a type of pepper) / Chilly (cold) — She made a spicy chilli dish, perfect for the chilly evening.
Cite (to quote) / Site (a location) / Sight (the ability to see) — She could sight the historical site from the hilltop and decided to cite it in her report.
Course (a direction or a meal) / Coarse (rough in texture) — The chef planned a multi-course dinner, including a coarse grain bread.
Complement (something that completes) / Compliment (praise) — The chef received a compliment for the sauce, saying it was the perfect complement to the dish.

What are 25 homophones?

And another five homophones to add to your collection…

Desert (a barren area of land) / Dessert (a sweet course after a meal) — After crossing the hot desert, they enjoyed a cool dessert of ice cream.
Dew (moisture condensed from the atmosphere) / Due (expected at a certain time) — The morning dew was fresh on the grass as the payment became due.
Die (to stop living) / Dye (to colour) — She used a plant-based dye to colour the fabric before the flowers began to die.
Elicit (to draw out) / Illicit (forbidden by law) — The police tried to elicit information about the illicit activities.
Ensure (to make certain) / Insure (to provide insurance) — She took steps to ensure her car was safe and decided to insure it comprehensively.

What are 50 homophones?

We’re nearly half-way there. Here are another 25 homophones…

Faint (to lose consciousness) / Feint (a deceptive movement) — He pretended to faint as a clever feint in their playful game.
Fair (equitable or a carnival) / Fare (fee for transportation) — They found it fair to split the taxi fare after visiting the local fair.
Feint (a deceptive movement) / Faint (to lose consciousness) — The boxer used a feint to distract his opponent before delivering a blow that made him faint.
Find (to discover) / Fined (punished by a fine) — They were relieved to find the lost dog, but the owner was fined for not having a leash.
Flew (past tense of fly) / Flu (influenza) — He flew to New York but caught the flu on the plane.
Flour (powder from grain) / Flower (a blooming plant) — She accidentally spilled flour on the table while arranging a vase of fresh flowers.
Fore (front) / Four (the number 4) — The golfer shouted “Fore!” just as the clock struck four.
Friar (a member of a religious order) / Fryer (a container for cooking food in oil) — The Friar put his chips in the fryer.
Grate (to shred) / Great (very good) — The chef was great at cooking and would grate cheese perfectly.
Hair (strands growing from skin) / Hare (a rabbit-like animal) — The hare darted away as she brushed a strand of hair from her face.
Heal (to recover) / Heel (back part of the foot) — After injuring his heel, it took weeks to heal completely.
Hear (to perceive sound) / Here (in this place) — “Can you hear me from over here?” she called out.
Hi (informal hello) / High (as in height) — He shouted “Hi” from high-up the ladder.
Hole (a hollow space) / Whole (entire) — She accidentally dug a hole in the garden while planting a whole row of flowers.
Idle (not active) / Idol (an object of worship) — He remained idle on the couch, dreaming of meeting his favourite pop idol.
Incite (to provoke) / Insight (a deep understanding) — The speaker’s words did not incite violence but offered insight into peaceful solutions.
Knead (to massage or press) / Need (to require) — You need to knead the dough well for the bread to rise.
Knight (a medieval warrior) / Night (the time of day after sunset) — The knight set off on his quest under the cover of night.
Lesson (something to be learned) / Lessen (to reduce) — The teacher’s lesson on empathy helped to lessen misunderstandings among students.
Lightning (a natural electrical discharge) / Lightening (making lighter) — The lightning storm was intense, lightening up the night sky with each flash.
Loose (not tight) / Lose (to misplace) — If you don’t tie the shoelaces tight, you might lose your shoes because they are too loose.
Loot (stolen goods) / Lute (a stringed instrument) — She played the lute to distract the crowd while the others ran away with the loot.
Made (created) / Maid (a female domestic worker) — The maid carefully made the bed every morning.
Mail (postal correspondence) / Male (a male person or animal) — The male driver delivered the mail each day.
Meat (animal flesh) / Meet (to come together) — They decided to meet at the market to buy fresh meat for dinner.

What are 100 homophones?

To complete the set, here’s your final list of homophones — making the big 100.

Medal (an award) / Meddle (to interfere) — He won a gold medal in the race, but hated when others tried to meddle in his training routine.
Miner (a person who works in a mine) / Minor (underage or lesser importance) — The miner found a vein of gold, but it was considered a minor find compared to previous discoveries.
Moose (a large animal) / Mousse (a dessert) — They spotted a moose in the wild and later enjoyed chocolate mousse for dessert.
Morning (the early part of the day) / Mourning (grieving for the dead) — She spent the morning in quiet mourning for her lost friend.
Naval (relating to the navy) / Navel (belly button) — The naval officer had a tattoo near his navel.
Nose (the part of the face) / Knows (to be aware of) — He knows he has a freckle on his nose.
One (the number 1) / Won (past tense of win) — She won the race and proudly held up one finger.
Pail (a bucket) / Pale (light in colour) — She carried a pail of water, her face looking pale in the morning sun.
Pair (two of something) / Pear (a type of fruit) — She bought a pair of shoes and a ripe pear at the market.
Palate (roof of the mouth) / Palette (an artist’s mixing board) / Pallet (a portable platform) — Standing on a pallet, the artist mixed colours on his palette like flavours on the palate of his mouth.
Peace (tranquillity) / Piece (a portion) — They enjoyed a moment of peace while sharing a piece of cake.
Per (for each) / Purr (sound made by a cat) — The cat began to purr as per usual.
Pique (to stimulate interest or curiosity) / Peak (the top point) / Peek (a quick look) — Her curiosity was piqued when she caught a peek of the view from the mountain peak.
Plain (simple or a large area of flat land) / Plane (an aircraft) — The plane flew over the vast plain, its shadow barely visible.
Pore (tiny opening in the skin) / Pour (to flow or cause to flow) — After exercising, his pores were open, and sweat began to pour.
Pray (to speak to a deity) / Prey (an animal hunted for food) — The lion closed in on its prey as the villagers began to pray for rain.
Principle (a fundamental truth or belief) / Principal (head of a school) — The principal spoke about the principle of honesty during the assembly.
Profit (financial gain) / Prophet (a person who predicts the future) — The prophet warned of future hardships, advising them not to seek profit at any cost.
Rain (water falling from the sky) / Rein (a strap used to control a horse) — She held the rein tightly as the rain began to pour.
Red (the colour) / Read (to interpret written words) — He read the book with a bright red cover.
Right (correct or direction) / Write (to put words on paper) — He had to write an essay about the right way to solve problems.
Road (a pathway for vehicles) / Rode (past tense of ride) — They rode their bikes along the winding road.
Role (a part in a play or function) / Roll (to move by turning over) — He was thrilled to get the lead role and began to roll with excitement.
Sail (to navigate a boat) / Sale (the exchange of goods) — They decided to sail across the bay after the big summer sale.
Scene (a setting in a play) / Seen (past participle of see) — The final scene of the play was one of the most dramatic they had ever seen.
Sea (a large body of saltwater) / See (to perceive with the eyes) — From the hill, they could see the vast sea stretching out before them.
Sew (to stitch with a needle) / So (to the extent that) — She wanted to sew a dress, so she bought some fabric.
Son (a male child) / Sun (the star at the centre of the solar system) — The son played outside under the bright sun.
Stair (a step in a set of steps) / Stare (to look fixedly) — He paused on the stair to stare at the beautiful painting.
Steal (to take without permission) / Steel (a strong metal) — He used steel tools to fix the gate after someone tried to steal it.
Stationary (not moving) / Stationery (writing materials) — The stationery store sold beautiful paper, perfect for writing while sitting at a stationary desk.
Tale (a story) / Tail (the rear part of an animal) — The tale of the fox with a bushy tail captivated the children.
Their (belonging to them) / There (in that place) / They’re (contraction of they are) — They’re going to put their coats over there.
Throne (a ceremonial chair for royalty) / Thrown (past participle of throw) — The king sat on his throne, where he had once been thrown by an angry mob.
To (toward) / Too (also, excessively) / Two (the number 2) — He wanted to go too, but there were only two tickets left.
Toe (a digit on the foot) / Tow (to pull a vehicle) — He stubbed his toe while helping tow the car.
Vain (excessively proud) / Vein (a blood vessel) / Vane (a device for showing wind direction) — The vain actor glanced at his reflection, not noticing the weather vane spinning above or the nurse finding a vein.
Vary (to differ) / Very (extremely) — The weather can vary very much during the spring.
Waist (the part of the body between ribs and hips) / Waste (to use carelessly) — She tied a scarf around her waist and tried not to waste time.
Wait (to stay in one place) / Weight (a measure of heaviness) — They had to wait for the truck to deliver the weight-lifting equipment.
Wander (to roam) / Wonder (to be curious) — She would wander through the park and wonder about the lives of the people she saw.
Ware (goods or merchandise) / Wear (to have clothing on) — The artisan displayed his wares while wearing a traditional outfit.
Way (a method or direction) / Weigh (to measure the heaviness of something) — She found a way to weigh the vegetables accurately.
Weak (not strong) / Week (seven days) — After a week of intense workouts, he felt less weak and more energetic.
Weather (conditions outside) / Whether (expressing a choice) — She couldn’t decide whether to bring an umbrella, depending on the weather.
Which (asking for information specifying one or more people or things) / Witch (a woman thought to have magical powers) — The story told of a witch who could never decide which spell to cast.
Wood (material from trees) / Would (past tense of will) — He asked if they would help him gather wood for the fireplace.
Yoke (a wooden cross-piece for animals) / Yolk (the yellow part of an egg) — The farmer used a yoke to join the oxen, while she separated the egg yolk for baking.
You (referring to the person being spoken to) / Yew (a type of tree) — You should see the ancient yew tree in the garden.
Your (belonging to you) / You’re (contraction of you are) — You’re going to love your new book.

Does your child need help with their English skills?

Of course, understanding homophones is just one aspect of mastering English. If your child is preparing for important exams like SATs, the 11 Plus, GCSE English, or simply needs support with reading and writing, contact our expert team of tutors today.

At Achieve Learning, we offer tailored support to improve comprehension, grammar and language skills. Whether it’s through one-on-one tutoring, mock exams or building a love of reading, we’re here to help your child succeed.