Homophones Explained: 141 Pairs of Words That Sound the Same
Ever get confused by words that sound the same but have different meanings? You’re not alone! These tricky homophones can trip up even the best of us. Understanding them is key to clear communication and can save you from embarrassing mistakes.
In this article, we’ll explore common homophones, show how they’re used in everyday language, and share some fun, lesser-known pairs. Let’s dive in and clear up the confusion around words that sound the same.
What Are Homophones?
Homophones are words that sound the same when pronounced but have different meanings, spellings, or origins. They are a fascinating and sometimes confusing aspect of the English language. Understanding homophones is crucial for effective communication, as using the wrong word can lead to misunderstandings.
Homophones can be tricky because, despite their identical pronunciation, they often belong to different parts of speech and convey entirely different concepts. For example, “pair” and “pear” sound the same but refer to a set of two items and a type of fruit, respectively.
Knowing homophones helps you avoid common mistakes in writing and speaking. It also enriches your vocabulary and allows you to appreciate the nuances of the language. Whether you’re writing an email, composing a story, or chatting with friends, being aware of homophones ensures your message is clear and accurate.
In summary, homophones are an essential part of English, and mastering them can significantly improve your language skills. So, let’s dive into some common homophones and see how they are used in everyday language.
Common Homophones
1. Their / There / They’re
Their: A possessive pronoun indicating ownership, as in “Their car is red.”
There: Refers to a place or position, as in “The book is over there.”
They’re: A contraction of “they are,” as in “They’re going to the park.”
2. To / Too / Two
To: A preposition used to indicate direction or purpose, as in “I am going to the store.”
Too: Means also or excessively, as in “I want to go too” or “That’s too much.”
Two: The number 2, as in “I have two dogs.”
3. Your / You’re
Your: A possessive pronoun indicating ownership, as in “Your shoes are untied.”
You’re: A contraction of “you are,” as in “You’re very kind.”
4. Its / It’s
Its: A possessive pronoun indicating ownership, as in “The cat licked its paw.”
It’s: A contraction of “it is” or “it has,” as in “It’s raining outside.”
5. Than / Then
Than: Used for comparisons, as in “She is taller than her brother.”
Then: Refers to time, meaning at that time or next, as in “We will go to dinner, then we will see a movie.”
Homophones in Everyday Use
1. Peace / Piece
Peace: A state of tranquility or quiet, as in “World peace is important.”
Piece: A portion or part of something, as in “I’d like a piece of cake.”
2. Bare / Bear
Bare: Without covering or clothing, as in “The room was bare of furniture.”
Bear: A large mammal, or to carry or endure, as in “A bear lives in the forest” or “Please bear with me.”
3. Break / Brake
Break: To separate into pieces or interrupt, as in “Be careful not to break the vase.”
Brake: A device for slowing or stopping a vehicle, as in “Remember to use the brake when going downhill.”
4. Buy / By / Bye
Buy: To purchase, as in “I need to buy groceries.”
By: Indicates the means or agent performing an action, as in “This book was written by an author.”
Bye: A shortened form of “goodbye,” as in “She waved and said bye.”
5. Flour / Flower
Flour: A powder obtained by grinding grain, used in baking, as in “We need flour to make bread.”
Flower: The blooming part of a plant, as in “The garden is full of beautiful flowers.”
6. Heel / Heal
Heel: The back part of the foot, as in “My heel hurts from walking.”
Heal: To make or become healthy again, as in “Time can heal many wounds.”
7. Knight / Night
Knight: A medieval warrior, as in “The knight wore shining armor.”
Night: The time of darkness between sunset and sunrise, as in “We watched the stars at night.”
8. Male / Mail
Male: The sex that produces small, typically motile gametes, as in “The male lion has a mane.”
Mail: Letters and packages sent through the postal system, as in “I received mail today.”
9. Morning / Mourning
Morning: The early part of the day, as in “I enjoy a cup of coffee every morning.”
Mourning: The expression of deep sorrow for someone who has died, as in “She is in mourning for her grandfather.”
10. Pail / Pale
Pail: A bucket, as in “She filled the pail with water.”
Pale: Light in color or having little color, as in “He looked pale and tired.”
11. Pair / Pear / Pare
Pair: Two items of the same kind, as in “I bought a pair of shoes.”
Pear: A type of fruit, as in “She ate a juicy pear.”
Pare: To trim or reduce, as in “He needs to pare down his expenses.”
12. Right / Write
Right: Correct or a direction, as in “You are right” or “Turn right at the corner.”
Write: To form letters or words on a surface, as in “Please write your name on the form.”
13. Sea / See
Sea: A large body of saltwater, as in “We swam in the sea.”
See: To perceive with the eyes, as in “I can see the mountains from here.”
14. Sight / Site
Sight: The ability to see, as in “He lost his sight in the accident.”
Site: A location or place, as in “This is the site of the new school.”
15. Son / Sun
Son: A male child, as in “They have one son and two daughters.”
Sun: The star at the center of our solar system, as in “The sun rises in the east.”
16. Steal / Steel
Steal: To take something without permission, as in “He tried to steal the car.”
Steel: A strong, hard metal made of iron and carbon, as in “The building is made of steel.”
17. Waist / Waste
Waist: The part of the body between the ribs and hips, as in “She wore a belt around her waist.”
Waste: To use or expend carelessly, as in “Don’t waste food.”
18. Week / Weak
Week: A period of seven days, as in “I will see you next week.”
Weak: Lacking strength, as in “After the illness, he felt very weak.”
19. Weather / Whether
Weather: The state of the atmosphere, as in “The weather is sunny today.”
Whether: Expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives, as in “I don’t know whether to go or stay.”
20. Air / Heir
Air: The invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, as in “We need air to breathe.”
Heir: A person legally entitled to the property or rank of another on that person’s death, as in “He is the heir to the throne.”
21. Aloud / Allowed
Aloud: Audibly; not silently, as in “She read the book aloud.”
Allowed: Permitted, as in “You are allowed to go to the party.”
22. Ant / Aunt
Ant: A small insect, as in “The ant crawled on the ground.”
Aunt: The sister of one’s parent, as in “My aunt is visiting us.”
23. Band / Banned
Band: A group of musicians or a ring, as in “The band played music” or “He wore a wedding band.”
Banned: Forbidden, as in “Smoking is banned in the building.”
24. Beach / Beech
Beach: A sandy shore by the sea, as in “We walked along the beach.”
Beech: A type of tree, as in “The beech tree has smooth gray bark.”
25. Beat / Beet
Beat: To strike repeatedly, as in “He beat the drum.”
Beet: A root vegetable, as in “She made a salad with beet.”
26. Blew / Blue
Blew: The past tense of blow, as in “The wind blew all night.”
Blue: A color, as in “The sky is blue.”
27. Cent / Scent / Sent
Cent: A unit of currency, as in “The candy costs one cent.”
Scent: A distinctive smell, especially one that is pleasant, as in “The scent of roses filled the room.”
Sent: The past tense of send, as in “She sent a letter.”
28. Cite / Sight / Site
Cite: To quote as evidence, as in “He will cite a famous author in his paper.”
Sight: The ability to see, as in “He regained his sight after the surgery.”
Site: A location or place, as in “They chose a new site for the building.”
29. Coarse / Course
Coarse: Rough or crude, as in “The coarse sandpaper smoothed the wood.”
Course: A direction or route taken, or a series of lessons, as in “She is taking a course in history.”
30. Council / Counsel
Council: A group of people convened for advice or decision-making, as in “The city council meets every Monday.”
Counsel: Advice given formally, or to give advice, as in “He sought counsel from a lawyer.”
31. Deer / Dear
Deer: A wild animal, as in “A deer ran across the road.”
Dear: A term of endearment or something cherished, as in “She is my dear friend.”
32. Die / Dye
Die: To stop living, as in “The plant will die without water.”
Dye: A substance used to change the color of something, as in “She used a natural dye for the fabric.”
33. Fair / Fare
Fair: Just or equal, or a public event, as in “The judge made a fair decision” or “We went to the county fair.”
Fare: The cost of travel, or to get along, as in “The bus fare is $2” or “How did you fare on the test?”
34. Fir / Fur
Fir: A type of evergreen tree, as in “The fir tree was decorated for Christmas.”
Fur: The thick hair covering the skin of some animals, as in “The cat has soft fur.”
35. Forth / Fourth
Forth: Forward in time or place, as in “Go forth and explore.”
Fourth: The ordinal number following third, as in “She finished fourth in the race.”
36. Groan / Grown
Groan: A sound made in response to pain or despair, as in “He let out a groan when he stood up.”
Grown: Having reached maturity, as in “The child has grown so much this year.”
37. Hair / Hare
Hair: The strands growing from the skin of humans and animals, as in “She brushed her hair.”
Hare: A fast-running, long-eared mammal, as in “The hare ran quickly across the field.”
38. Hear / Here
Hear: To perceive sound, as in “Can you hear the music?”
Here: In this place, as in “Please come here.”
39. Hole / Whole
Hole: An opening or cavity, as in “There is a hole in my sock.”
Whole: Complete or entire, as in “I ate the whole pie.”
40. Hour / Our
Hour: A period of 60 minutes, as in “We waited for an hour.”
Our: Belonging to us, as in “This is our house.”
41. Idle / Idol
Idle: Inactive or not in use, as in “The car was idle in the driveway.”
Idol: An object of worship or great admiration, as in “She is a pop idol.”
42. Kernel / Colonel
Kernel: The inner part of a seed or grain, as in “Popcorn is made from corn kernels.”
Colonel: A high-ranking officer in the military, as in “The colonel led the troops into battle.”
43. Leak / Leek
Leak: An unintended hole or crack that allows something to escape, as in “There is a leak in the roof.”
Leek: A vegetable related to the onion, as in “She added chopped leek to the soup.”
44. Meddle / Medal
Meddle: To interfere in someone else’s business, as in “Don’t meddle in their affairs.”
Medal: An award given for an achievement, as in “He won a gold medal.”
45. Mist / Missed
Mist: A fine spray or light fog, as in “The morning mist covered the field.”
Missed: The past tense of miss, meaning to fail to hit or to feel the absence of, as in “She missed the bus.”
46. Plain / Plane
Plain: Simple or unadorned, as in “She wore a plain dress.”
Plane: A flat surface or an aircraft, as in “The plane took off on time.”
47. Principal / Principle
Principal: The head of a school or the main amount of money in an investment, as in “The principal gave a speech” or “I paid down the principal on my loan.”
Principle: A fundamental truth or proposition, as in “She adhered to her principles.”
48. Profit / Prophet
Profit: Financial gain, as in “The company made a profit.”
Prophet: A person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God, as in “The prophet delivered his message.”
49. Ring / Wring
Ring: A circular band worn on a finger or to sound loudly, as in “She wore a gold ring” or “The bell will ring at noon.”
Wring: To twist and squeeze tightly, as in “Wring out the wet towel.”
50. Root / Route
Root: The part of a plant that attaches it to the ground, or the basic cause of something, as in “The tree’s roots are deep” or “The root of the problem.”
Route: A way or course taken to get from one place to another, as in “We took the scenic route.”
51. Sail / Sale
Sail: To travel on water in a vessel, as in “We will sail across the lake.”
Sale: The exchange of goods or services for money, as in “The store is having a sale.”
52. Sole / Soul
Sole: The bottom part of a foot or shoe, or being the only one, as in “The shoe’s sole is worn out” or “He is the sole survivor.”
Soul: The spiritual or immaterial part of a human, as in “She has a kind soul.”
53. Some / Sum
Some: An unspecified amount or number, as in “I have some cookies.”
Sum: The total amount resulting from the addition of numbers, as in “The sum of 5 and 7 is 12.”
54. Stairs / Stares
Stairs: A series of steps for going from one level to another, as in “She climbed the stairs.”
Stares: To look fixedly or vacantly at someone or something, as in “He stares at the stars.”
55. Tail / Tale
Tail: The hindmost part of an animal, as in “The dog wagged its tail.”
Tale: A story, especially one that is imaginatively recounted, as in “She told a fairy tale.”
56. War / Wore
War: A state of armed conflict, as in “The country is at war.”
Wore: The past tense of wear, as in “She wore a red dress.”
57. Vain / Vein
Vain: Having an excessively high opinion of one’s appearance or abilities, as in “He is very vain about his looks.”
Vein: A blood vessel, as in “The doctor found a vein to draw blood.”
58. Vary / Very
Vary: To differ or change, as in “The results may vary.”
Very: To a high degree, as in “She is very happy.”
59. Wail / Whale
Wail: A prolonged high-pitched cry, as in “The baby began to wail.”
Whale: A large marine mammal, as in “We saw a whale on our boat trip.”
60. Wait / Weight
Wait: To remain in readiness or expectation, as in “We had to wait for the bus.”
Weight: The measure of how heavy something is, as in “The weight of the package is 5 pounds.”
61. Arc / Ark
Arc: A curved shape or part of a circle, as in “The rainbow formed a beautiful arc in the sky.”
Ark: A large boat, particularly Noah’s Ark, as in “Noah built an ark to survive the flood.”
62. Aural / Oral
Aural: Relating to the ear or the sense of hearing, as in “She had an aural examination.”
Oral: Relating to the mouth or spoken words, as in “He gave an oral presentation.”
63. Bald / Bawled
Bald: Lacking hair, as in “The man was completely bald.”
Bawled: Cried loudly, as in “The child bawled after falling down.”
64. Bard / Barred
Bard: A poet, traditionally one reciting epics, as in “Shakespeare is often called the Bard.”
Barred: Prevented or blocked, as in “The door was barred to prevent entry.”
65. Bell / Belle
Bell: A hollow instrument that makes a ringing sound, as in “The church bell rang at noon.”
Belle: A beautiful woman, especially the most beautiful at a particular event, as in “She was the belle of the ball.”
66. Birth / Berth
Birth: The process of being born, as in “The birth of her child was a joyous occasion.”
Berth: A fixed bed or bunk on a ship, train, or other means of transport, as in “He slept in a lower berth on the train.”
67. Board / Bored
Board: A flat piece of material or to get on a vehicle, as in “He used a wooden board to fix the shelf” or “We will board the plane soon.”
Bored: Feeling weary and impatient because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one’s current activity, as in “She felt bored during the lecture.”
68. Born / Borne
Born: Brought into life by birth, as in “She was born in April.”
Borne: Carried or transported by, as in “The seeds were borne by the wind.”
69. Bough / Bow
Bough: A main branch of a tree, as in “The bough of the tree broke in the storm.”
Bow: To bend forward as a sign of respect, or a type of knot, as in “He gave a bow to the audience” or “She tied her hair with a bow.”
70. Boy / Buoy
Boy: A male child, as in “The boy is playing in the park.”
Buoy: A floating device used to mark a location in the water, as in “The buoy marked the safe swimming area.”
71. Call / Caul
Call: To shout or speak loudly, or to telephone, as in “He will call his friend tonight.”
Caul: The amniotic membrane enclosing a fetus, as in “The baby was born with a caul.”
72. Carat / Carrot
Carat: A unit of weight for precious stones, as in “The diamond is 2 carats.”
Carrot: A root vegetable, as in “She added a carrot to the salad.”
73. Cast / Caste
Cast: To throw or to assign roles in a play, as in “She cast the fishing line” or “The director cast her in the lead role.”
Caste: A hereditary social class in some societies, as in “He was born into the warrior caste.”
74. Ceiling / Sealing
Ceiling: The overhead interior surface of a room, as in “The ceiling was painted white.”
Sealing: The act of closing something tightly, as in “He was sealing the envelope.”
75. Chord / Cord
Chord: A group of musical notes played together, as in “He played a chord on the guitar.”
Cord: A length of string or rope, as in “She tied the package with a cord.”
76. Hall / Haul
Hall: A corridor or large room, as in “They met in the dining hall.”
Haul: To pull or drag with effort, as in “He had to haul the heavy boxes up the stairs.”
77. Close / Clothes
Close: To shut or bring to an end, as in “Please close the door.”
Clothes: Garments worn on the body, as in “She bought new clothes for the trip.”
78. Creak / Creek
Creak: A sharp, harsh, squeaking sound, as in “The old floorboards creak when walked on.”
Creek: A small stream, as in “We went fishing in the creek.”
79. Cue / Queue
Cue: A signal or prompt, as in “The actor missed his cue.”
Queue: A line of people or vehicles, as in “There was a long queue at the ticket counter.”
80. Currant / Current
Currant: A small dried fruit, as in “She added currants to the cake.”
Current: The flow of water, air, or electricity, as in “The river current was strong.”
81. Desert / Dessert
Desert: A barren, sandy area, or to abandon, as in “The Sahara is a vast desert” or “He decided to desert the army.”
Dessert: The sweet course eaten at the end of a meal, as in “We had ice cream for dessert.”
82. Discreet / Discrete
Discreet: Careful and circumspect in one’s speech or actions, as in “She was discreet about her friend’s secret.”
Discrete: Individually separate and distinct, as in “The project was divided into discrete stages.”
83. Draught / Draft
Draught: A current of cool air, or British spelling for draft, as in “There was a cold draught in the room.”
Draft: A preliminary version of a written work, or to select for a purpose, as in “He wrote the first draft of his novel” or “He was drafted into the army.”
84. Elicit / Illicit
Elicit: To draw out a response or reaction, as in “The comedian’s joke elicited laughter.”
Illicit: Forbidden by law, rules, or custom, as in “He was involved in illicit activities.”
85. Eminent / Imminent
Eminent: Famous and respected within a particular sphere, as in “He is an eminent scientist.”
Imminent: About to happen, as in “A storm is imminent.”
86. Ensure / Insure
Ensure: To make certain that something will occur, as in “Please ensure that the door is locked.”
Insure: To provide or arrange insurance, as in “She decided to insure her car.”
87. Expire / Inspire
Expire: To come to an end or die, as in “His driver’s license will expire next month.”
Inspire: To fill with the urge or ability to do something, as in “Her speech will inspire many people.”
88. Flea / Flee
Flea: A small, wingless, jumping insect, as in “The dog was scratching at a flea.”
Flee: To run away from danger, as in “They had to flee from the fire.”
89. Gait / Gate
Gait: A person’s manner of walking, as in “He has a distinctive gait.”
Gate: A hinged barrier used to close an opening in a wall, fence, or hedge, as in “She opened the garden gate.”
90. Gild / Guild
Gild: To cover with a thin layer of gold, as in “The craftsmen gilded the statue.”
Guild: An association of artisans or merchants, as in “He is a member of the weavers’ guild.”
91. Gorillas / Guerrillas
Gorillas: Large apes native to Africa, as in “We saw gorillas at the zoo.”
Guerrillas: Members of a small independent group taking part in irregular fighting, as in “The guerrillas attacked the outpost.”
92. Great / Grate
Great: Of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above the normal, as in “She achieved great success.”
Grate: To shred by rubbing against a rough surface, or a framework of metal bars, as in “He grated the cheese” or “The fireplace had an iron grate.”
93. Guessed / Guest
Guessed: Formed an opinion or supposition about something without sufficient evidence, as in “She guessed the answer.”
Guest: A person invited to visit someone’s home or attend an event, as in “We had a guest over for dinner.”
94. Incite / Insight
Incite: To encourage or stir up violent or unlawful behavior, as in “The speech was intended to incite a riot.”
Insight: The capacity to gain an accurate and deep understanding of someone or something, as in “She provided valuable insight into the problem.”
95. Praise / Prays / Preys
Praise: To express admiration or approval of someone or something, as in “They praised the artist for her work.”
Prays: To address a solemn request or expression of thanks to a deity, as in “He prays every morning.”
Preys: To hunt and kill for food, as in “The lion preys on the weaker animals.”
96. Leach / Leech
Leach: To drain away from soil, ash, or similar material by the action of percolating liquid, especially rainwater, as in “Nutrients can leach out of the soil.”
Leech: A type of worm that sucks blood, as in “The leech attached to his leg.”
97. Links / Lynx
Links: Connections or relationships between people or things, or golf courses, as in “They established strong links with other organizations” or “He played golf on the links.”
Lynx: A wild cat with tufted ears, as in “The lynx is a solitary predator.”
98. Liar / Lyre
Liar: A person who tells lies, as in “He is known to be a liar.”
Lyre: A stringed instrument associated with ancient Greece, as in “She played a beautiful melody on the lyre.”
99. Loath / Loathe
Loath: Reluctant or unwilling, as in “She was loath to admit her mistake.”
Loathe: To feel intense dislike or disgust for, as in “I loathe doing the laundry.”
100. Manner / Manor
Manner: A way in which a thing is done or happens, as in “He has a friendly manner.”
Manor: A large country house with lands, as in “They visited the old manor.”
101. Marshal / Martial
Marshal: To arrange or assemble in order, or a law enforcement officer, as in “He marshaled the troops” or “The marshal gave the signal.”
Martial: Relating to war or the military, as in “He trained in martial arts.”
102. Mind / Mined
Mind: The element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, as in “She has a sharp mind.”
Mined: Extracted from the earth, as in “The company mined for gold.”
103. Miner / Minor
Miner: A person who works in a mine, as in “The miner discovered a new vein of ore.”
Minor: Lesser in importance, seriousness, or significance, or a person under the age of full legal responsibility, as in “It’s a minor issue” or “He is still a minor.”
104. Nay / Neigh
Nay: Archaic or literary term for no, as in “It was a definite nay.”
Neigh: The characteristic high-pitched sound made by a horse, as in “The horse let out a loud neigh.”
105. None / Nun
None: Not any, as in “None of the answers were correct.”
Nun: A member of a religious community of women, as in “The nun took her vows.”
106. Pole / Poll
Pole: A long, slender, rounded piece of wood or metal, typically used with one end placed in the ground as a support, as in “They used a pole to support the tent.”
Poll: The process of voting in an election, as in “The poll results were announced.”
107. Pale / Pail
Pale: Light in color or having little color, as in “He looked pale.”
Pail: A bucket, as in “She filled the pail with water.”
108. Patience / Patients
Patience: The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset, as in “He showed great patience.”
Patients: People receiving medical treatment, as in “The doctor saw several patients.”
109. Peak / Peek / Pique
Peak: The pointed top of a mountain, or the highest point of achievement, as in “They reached the peak of the mountain” or “She is at the peak of her career.”
Peek: To look quickly, typically in a secretive way, as in “She took a quick peek at the surprise.”
Pique: A feeling of irritation or resentment resulting from a slight, especially to one’s pride, as in “He left in a fit of pique.”
110. Pedal / Peddle
Pedal: A foot-operated lever or control for a vehicle or musical instrument, as in “She pressed the pedal to accelerate.”
Peddle: To sell goods, typically in a street or door-to-door manner, as in “They peddle fresh fruit on the street.”
111. Peer / Pier
Peer: To look keenly or with difficulty at someone or something, as in “He had to peer through the fog.”
Pier: A structure leading out from the shore into a body of water, used as a landing place for ships, as in “They walked along the pier.”
112. Raze / Raise
Raze: To completely destroy a building, town, or other site, as in “The old building was razed to make way for a new park.”
Raise: To lift or move to a higher position or level, as in “She raised her hand to ask a question.”
113. Real / Reel
Real: Actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact; not imagined or supposed, as in “Is this situation for real?”
Reel: A cylinder on which film, wire, thread, or other flexible materials can be wound, or to lose one’s balance and stagger, as in “He reeled after being hit.”
114. Reign / Rein
Reign: To rule as a monarch, as in “Queen Elizabeth II reigns over the United Kingdom.”
Rein: A long, narrow strap attached to a horse’s bit, used to guide or control it, as in “He pulled on the rein to stop the horse.”
115. Rest / Wrest
Rest: To cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength, as in “He decided to rest after a long day.”
Wrest: To forcibly pull something from a person’s grasp, as in “He tried to wrest the weapon from the attacker.”
116. Right / Rite
Right: Morally good, justified, or acceptable; or a direction opposite of left, as in “You have the right to remain silent” or “Turn right at the next street.”
Rite: A religious or other solemn ceremony or act, as in “The rite of passage marked his transition into adulthood.”
117. Role / Roll
Role: The function assumed or part played by a person or thing in a particular situation, as in “She played the role of Juliet in the play.”
Roll: To move or cause to move in a particular direction by turning over and over, as in “He rolled the ball across the floor.”
118. Route / Root
Route: A way or course taken in getting from a starting point to a destination, as in “He took the scenic route to work.”
Root: The part of a plant that attaches it to the ground, or the basic cause or origin of something, as in “The tree’s roots are deep” or “The root of the problem.”
119. Seam / Seem
Seam: A line where two pieces of fabric are sewn together, as in “She sewed a seam on the dress.”
Seem: To give the impression of being something, as in “He seems happy.”
120. Sew / So / Sow
Sew: To join or attach by stitching with a needle and thread, as in “She learned to sew in home economics class.”
So: To such a great extent, or for that reason, as in “She was so tired” or “He studied hard, so he passed the test.”
Sow: To plant seeds by scattering them on or in the earth, as in “Farmers sow crops in the spring.”
121. Sore / Soar
Sore: Painful or aching, as in “Her muscles were sore after the workout.”
Soar: To fly or rise high in the air, as in “The eagle soared above the mountains.”
122. Suit / Suite
Suit: A set of clothes or a legal action, as in “He wore a new suit” or “She filed a suit against the company.”
Suite: A set of rooms designated for one person’s or family’s use, as in “They booked a hotel suite for their vacation.”
123. Taught / Taut
Taught: Past tense of teach, as in “She taught English for many years.”
Taut: Stretched or pulled tight, as in “The rope was pulled taut.”
124. Team / Teem
Team: A group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport, as in “She joined the soccer team.”
Teem: To be full of or swarming with, as in “The pond was teeming with fish.”
125. Tied / Tide
Tied: Past tense of tie, as in “He tied his shoelaces.”
Tide: The alternate rising and falling of the sea, as in “The tide is high today.”
126. Time / Thyme
Time: The indefinite continued progress of existence and events, as in “She was running out of time.”
Thyme: An aromatic herb used in cooking, as in “She added thyme to the recipe.”
127. Troop / Troupe
Troop: A group of soldiers or scouts, as in “The troop marched in formation.”
Troupe: A group of dancers, actors, or other entertainers who tour to perform, as in “The theater troupe put on a great show.”
128. Vale / Veil
Vale: A valley, as in “They hiked through the lush vale.”
Veil: A piece of fine material worn by women to protect or conceal the face, as in “She wore a veil on her wedding day.”
129. Wave / Waive
Wave: A long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore, or to move one’s hand to and fro, as in “He waved goodbye” or “The waves were strong today.”
Waive: To refrain from insisting on or using a right or claim, as in “He decided to waive his rights.”
130. Weary / Wary
Weary: Feeling or showing tiredness, as in “She felt weary after the long journey.”
Wary: Feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems, as in “He was wary of strangers.”
131. Affect / Effect
Affect: A verb meaning to influence, as in “The weather can affect your mood.”
Effect: A noun meaning the result of a change, as in “The effect of the new policy was immediate.”
132. Complement / Compliment
Complement: Means something that completes or goes well with something, as in “Her scarf complements her outfit.”
Compliment: A polite expression of praise or admiration, as in “He gave her a compliment on her performance.”
133. Principle / Principal
Principle: A fundamental truth or proposition, as in “He stuck to his principles.”
Principal: The head of a school or the main amount of money in an investment, as in “The principal of the school gave a speech.”
134. Capital / Capitol
Capital: A city serving as a seat of government, also wealth in the form of money, as in “Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States.”
Capitol: A building where a legislative body meets, as in “The Capitol building is impressive.”
135. Stationary / Stationery
Stationary: Not moving, as in “The car remained stationary at the traffic light.”
Stationery: Writing materials, as in “She bought new stationery for her letters.”
136. Allusion / Illusion
Allusion: An indirect reference, as in “The book makes several allusions to classical literature.”
Illusion: A false idea or belief, as in “The magician created an illusion that amazed the audience.”
