Common Homophones in English
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. They can be confusing for English learners, but learning them will help improve your writing and speaking skills. Below is a list of 50 common homophones with examples to help you understand them better.
1. Their / There / They’re
- Their house is very big.
- The books are over there on the table.
- They’re coming to visit us tomorrow.
2. Your / You’re
- Is this your phone?
- You’re my best friend.
3. It’s / Its
- It’s raining outside.
- The dog wagged its tail happily.
4. To / Too / Two
- I need to go to the bank.
- This dress is too expensive.
- They have two children.
5. Then / Than
- We had dinner, then watched a movie.
- She is taller than her brother.
6. Affect / Effect
- The bad weather can affect my mood.
- The new policy had a positive effect on the company.
7. Hear / Here
- I can hear the music from my room.
- Come here and take a look at this.
8. Weather / Whether
- The weather is hot and sunny today.
- I don’t know whether we will go to the party.
9. Passed / Past
- She passed her driving test on the first try.
- We walked past the old church.
10. Buy / By / Bye
- I need to buy some new shoes.
- The painting was made by a famous artist.
- She waved and said bye before leaving.
11. Knight / Night
- The knight wore shiny armor.
- The stars are bright at night.
12. Steal / Steel
- The thief tried to steal the jewelry.
- The bridge is made of steel.
13. See / Sea
- I can see a bird outside the window.
- We swam in the sea during our vacation.
14. Son / Sun
- My son is five years old.
- The sun is shining brightly today.
15. Flour / Flower
- We need more flour to bake the cake.
- The garden is full of beautiful flowers.
16. Peace / Piece
- I hope for world peace.
- Can I have a piece of cake?
17. Plain / Plane
- She likes to wear plain clothes.
- The plane took off on time.
18. Whole / Hole
- I ate the whole pizza by myself.
- There’s a hole in my shirt.
19. Weak / Week
- He felt weak after being sick.
- We have a holiday next week.
20. Right / Write
- Turn right at the next street.
- Please write your name on the paper.
21. Made / Maid
- This cake was made by my mom.
- The maid cleaned the house.
22. One / Won
- She has one sister.
- Our team won the match yesterday.
23. Brake / Break
- Press the brake to stop the car.
- Let’s take a break after an hour of studying.
24. Meat / Meet
- I don’t eat meat; I’m vegetarian.
- Let’s meet at the café at 3 PM.
25. Bear / Bare
- A bear lives in the forest.
- He walked on the beach with bare feet.
26. Hair / Hare
- She has long, curly hair.
- A hare is a fast-running animal like a rabbit.
27. Fare / Fair
- The bus fare is $2.
- The judge was fair in his decision.
28. Deer / Dear
- A deer ran across the road.
- She is very dear to me.
29. Close / Clothes
- Please close the door.
- I bought new clothes for winter.
30. Blue / Blew
- The sky is blue today.
- The wind blew my hat away.
31. Male / Mail
- The new teacher is male.
- I received a letter in the mail.
32. Berry / Bury
- She picked a fresh berry from the bush.
- They will bury the time capsule in the garden.
33. Pale / Pail
- She looked pale after being sick.
- He filled the pail with water.
34. Sail / Sale
- We went on a boat sail last summer.
- The store is having a big sale today.
35. Waist / Waste
- She tied a belt around her waist.
- Don’t waste your time on that game.
36. Principal / Principle
- The school principal gave a speech.
- Honesty is an important principle in life.
37. Ring / Wring
- She wore a beautiful ring on her finger.
- Please wring out the wet towel.
38. Road / Rode / Rowed
- We drove down a long road.
- He rode his bike to school.
- They rowed the boat across the lake.
39. Stairs / Stares
- She walked up the stairs to her room.
- He stares at his phone all day.
40. Stationary / Stationery
- The car remained stationary at the red light.
- She bought new stationery for school.
41. Sweet / Suite
- This cake is very sweet.
- They booked a hotel suite for their vacation.
42. Taught / Taut
- My teacher taught us new words today.
- The rope was pulled taut during the game.
43. Bare / Bear
- He walked outside with bare feet.
- We saw a bear in the forest.
44. Coarse / Course
- The sand on the beach was very coarse.
- She took an English course online.
45. Sight / Site / Cite
- The sunset was a beautiful sight.
- The company launched a new site.
- Remember to cite your sources in the essay.
46. Miner / Minor
- The miner worked in the coal mine.
- Drinking alcohol is illegal for a minor.
47. Pair / Pear
- I bought a new pair of shoes.
- She ate a juicy pear for lunch.
48. Aloud / Allowed
- He read the story aloud to the class.
- Pets are not allowed in the restaurant.
49. Lessen / Lesson
- We need to lessen the amount of sugar in our diet.
- The teacher gave us a new lesson today.
50. Foul / Fowl
- The garbage had a foul smell.
- A chicken is a type of fowl.
Homophones Quiz
Test your knowledge of homophones with this short quiz. Choose the correct word for each sentence.
- I need to ____ a new phone.
- a) Buy
- b) By
- c) Bye
- The kids forgot ____ bags at school.
- a) Their
- b) There
- c) They’re
- We walked ____ the park on our way home.
- a) Past
- b) Passed
- I don’t know ____ I should stay or go.
- a) Weather
- b) Whether
- The thief tried to ____ the money.
- a) Steal
- b) Steel
- She waved and said ____.
- a) Buy
- b) By
- c) Bye
- I love swimming in the ____.
- a) See
- b) Sea
- The stars shine at ____.
- a) Knight
- b) Night
- I pressed the ____ to stop the car.
- a) Break
- b) Brake
- He wrote a ____ of music.
-
- a) Peace
- b) Piece
Quiz Answers
- a) Buy
- a) Their
- a) Past
- b) Whether
- a) Steal
- c) Bye
- b) Sea
- b) Night
- b) Brake
- b) Piece
