Homophones
A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning, and may differ in spelling. The words may be spelled the same, such as rose (flower) and rose (past tense of “rise”), or differently, such as to, two, and too. Homophones (Sound-alike words) are words that are pronounced identically although they have different meanings and often have different spellings as well. These words are a very common source of confusion when writing. Common examples of sets of homophones include: they’re and their; bee and be; sun and son; which and witch; and plain and plane.
Some Examples of Homophones are:
- Compliment, Complement
Compliment: a polite expression of praise or admiration.
Complement: a thing that completes or brings to perfection.
- leach, leech
Leach: (with reference to a soluble chemical or mineral) drain away from soil, ash, or similar material by the action of percolating liquid, especially rainwater.
Leech: This is a segmented worm.
- leak, leek
Leak: (of a container or covering) accidentally lose or admit contents, especially liquid or gas, through a hole or crack.
Leek: a plant related to the onion, with flat overlapping leaves forming an elongated cylindrical bulb that together with the leaf bases is eaten as a vegetable.
- sale, sail
- sane, seine
Sane: (of a person) of sound mind; not mad or mentally ill.
Seine: a fishing net that hangs vertically in the water with floats at the top and weights at the bottom edge, the ends being drawn together to encircle the fish.
- maize, maze
- mall, maul
- for, fore, four
- foreword, forward
- manna, manner
- cell, sell
- censer, censor, sensor
Censer: a container in which incense is burned, typically during a religious ceremony.
Censor: an official who examines material that is about to be released, such as books, movies, news, and art, and suppresses any parts that are considered obscene, politically unacceptable, or a threat to security.
Sensor: a device that detects or measures a physical property and records, indicates, or otherwise responds to it.
- cent, scent, sent
- mantel, mantle
Mantel: a structure of wood, marble, or stone above and around a fireplace.
Mantle: an important role or responsibility that passes from one person to another
- satire, satyr
- sauce, source
- lean, lien
- lessen, lesson
List some homophones that you have come across in English Language and their different meanings…
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