יום ראשון, 21 באפריל 2013

Homophones in English - The Challenge

Homophones in English

The word: Homophone (whose origin is Ancient Greek) denotes words whose meaning (and usually their spelling) is different but are pronounced the same (homo="same", phone="sound, voice")

Here's a list of more than 700 pairs, trios, quartets and even 2 quintets (!) of homophones I've collected.

Are you a native English speaker?
Can you cope with the challenge: enhance the list and add more homophones?

If you think you can, you're most welcome.

Just register, add a comment with your own homophones, and I'll add them to the list.

Abel/able
ad/add
aerie/airy
aid/aide
ail/ale
air/ere/err/heir/
airer/error
airs/heirs
aisle/isle
allowed/aloud
ant/aunt
ante/anti/auntie
arc/ark
are/our/R
aught/ought
aural/oral
awe/or
aye/eye/I
ayes/eyes
baa/bar
baas (pres. Of baa)/bars
bach/batch
bail/bale
bait/bate
baited/bated
baize/bays
bald/balled (p. of ball)/bawled
ball/bawl
band/banned(p. of ban)
bard/barred
bare/bear
baron/barren
base/bass
based/baste
bask/Basque
baud/bawd/bode
bay/bey
be/bee
beach/beech
bead/Bede
bean/been
beard/beered (p. of beer)
beat/beet
beau/bo/bow
beat/beet
beau/bo/bow
BEC/beck
beer/bier
bell/belle
berry/bury
berth/birth
bight/bite/byte
bird/burred (p. of bur)
blays/blaze
bleats/bleeds
blew (p. of blow)/blue
boar/Boer/boor/bore
board/bored
bold/bowled (p.of bowl)
bolder/boulder
bole/bowl
boos/booze
born/borne
boule/buhl
bow/bough
boy/buoy
brail/braille
braise/brays/braze
braid/brayed (p. of bray)
brand/branned (p.of bran)
breach/breech
bread/bred (p. of breed)
brake/break
breeze/bries
brewed/brood
brews/bruise
bridal/bridle
broach/brooch
brows/browse
bussed(p. of bus)/bust
but/butt
buy/by/bye
C/sea/see
cache/cash
caff/calf
call/caul
calves/carves
cane/Cain
cannon/canon
cant/can't
canter/cantor
canvas/canvass
capital/capitol
carat/caret/carrot
card/carred (p. of car)
cards/carts
cared (p. of care)/caird
cart/kart
cast/caste/cussed
caught/court
cauld/called (p.of call)
caulk/cork
caw/cor/core/corps
caws/cause
cay/K
cedar/ceder/seeder
cede/seed
ceiling/sealing
cell/sell
cellar/seller
cent/sent/scent
cents/sends
cereal/serial
chad/Chad
chair/chare
chairs/chares
chard/charred (p. of char)
cheap/cheep
cheat/cheet
cheater/cheetah
check/cheque/Czech
chews/choose
chic/sheikh/shick
Chile/chilly
choir/quire
choral/coral
chord/cord
chou/shoe/shoo/shou/
shew
chough/chuff
chute/shoot
ciao/chow
cide/side/sighed (p. of sigh)
cider/sider
cite/sight/site
cited/sighted/sited
clade/clayed (p. of clay)
clause/claws
clay/claye
cleave/cleve
cleek/clique
clew/clue
climb/clime
clip/klip
clods/clots
close/clothes/cloze
coal/cole/kohl
coarse/course
coat/cote
coats/cotes
coax/cokes
coffin/coughing
coin/cohen
cold/coled (p. of cole)
collie/colly
come/cum
comer/cummer
complement/compliment
coo/coup
coolie/coulis
coos/coups
council/counsel
creak/creek
crew/cru
crewed(p. of crew)/
crude
crews/cruise
crowds/Krauts
cue/Q/queue
cued/cured/queued
cur/curr
curd/Kurd
curs/curse
cypress/Cyprus
D/dee
daffed (p. of daff)/daft
dairy/Derry
dam/damn
dance/dans
Dane/deign
dat/debt
days/daze
dear/deer
def/deaf
den/denn
dense/dens
desert (v.)/dessert
deuce/juice/jus
deuce/douce
dew/due
die/dye
died/dyed
dies/dyes
dine/dyne
dire/dyer
djinn/gin
do(musical note)/doe/dough
doc/dock
does (plural of doe)/doze
done/dun
dope/doup
dose/doze
doubt/dout
draft/draught
dray/drey
dual/duel
earn/urn
eaves/eves
eerie/Erie/eyrie
eff/F
ensure/insure
err/heir
ewe/U/you/yew
ex/X
eyed (v. of eye)/ide
fa (musical note)/fah/far
facet/fascet
fade/fayed (p. of fay)
fai/phi
faikes/fakes
fain/feign
faint/feint
fair/fare
fairy/ferry
falk/fork
false/falls
farther/father
fate/fête
fated/fêted (p. of fête)
faun/fawn
fays/faze/phase
faw/for/fore/four
fear/feer
feat/feet
feed/fee'd (p. of fee)
fence/fens(pl. of fen)
few/phew/whew/feu
figs/fix
file/phial
files/phials
fill/Phil
filly/Philly
fin/Finn
find/fined
fir/fur
fissure/fisher
flair/flare
flay/fley
flea/flee
fleas/flees
flew (p. of fly)/flu/flue
flic/flick
flight/flite
flour/flower
fores/fours
forth/fourth
foul/fowl
franc/Frank
freeze/frieze
friar/frier
G/gee
G's/jeez
Gael/gale
gait/gate
gall/Gaul
gard/guard
gator/gaiter
gaud/gawd
gauze/gores
gaize/gays/gaze
genes/jeans
gif/giff
glair/glare
gnap/nap
gnome/nome
goad/gourd
goads/goats
goat/gote
gored/gourd
grade/greyed (p. of grey)
grades/grates
grate/great
grater/greater
graze/greys
grease/Greece
groan/grown
guessed/guest
haaf/half
had (p. of have)/head
haft/halved
hail/hale
hair/hare
hall/haul
handsome/hansom
hangar/hanger
hart/heart
hate/heit
hay/hey
hays/haze
heal/heel
he'd/heed
hear/here
heard (p. of  hear)/herd
herds/hertz
herl/hulr
heroin/heroine
hew/hue
hi/hie/high
hide/hied
higher/hire
his/is
hissed (p. of hiss)/hist
hoar/whore
hoard/horde/whored
hoarse/horse
hoary/whory
ho/hoe
hock/hough
hoes/hose
hole/whole
hoo/who
hoose/whose
I'll/isle
idle/idol
in/inn
J/jay
jam/jamb
job/Job
key/quay
knag/nag
knave/nave
knead/need
knew/new
knick/nick
knicker/nicker
knife/nife
knight/night
knit/nit
knob/nob
knock/nock
knot/not
know-how/nohow
know/no
knows/nose/noes
kyu/queue
L/ell
lac/lack
lade/laid (p. of lay)
laffer/laugher
lain (p.p. of lie)/laine/
lane
lair/layer
lam/lamb
lance/launce
Laos/louse
laps/lapse
larch/large
laud/lord
lava/larva
lai/lay/lei/ley
lays/laze
lea/lee/legh
leach/leech
lead (n.)/led (p. of  lead)
lead(v)/lied(n)
leader/lieder
leaf/lief
leak/leek
leant (p. of lean)/lent (p. of lend)
leap/leep
lease/leas
leased (p. of lease)/least
lessen/lesson
liar/lyre
licker/liquor
lew/lieu/loo
lieus (plural of lieu)/
loos (plural of loo)/lose
light/lite
links/lynx
lo/low
load/lode
loan/lone
Loch/lock/lough
locks/lox
looed(p. of loo)/lewd
loot/lute
lot/Lot
luce/loose
ma'am/mam
ma/mar
macks/max
mai/my
maid/made (p. of make)
mail/male
main/Maine/mane
mall/maul
manner/manor
marc/mark
mare/mayor
Mars/mars
maise/maize/mays/
mase/maze
me/mi(musical note)
mean/mien
means/miens
meant/-ment
meat/meet/mete
mew/meu/mu
mews/muse
might/mite
mind/mined (p. of mine)
miner/minor
missed (p.of miss)/mist
mo/mow
moan/mone/mown(p.p. of mow)
moat/mote
mocha/mocker
mode/mowed
moled (p. of mole)/mould
moo/moue
mooed (p. of moo)/
moued (p. of moue)
morn/mourn
morning/mourning
muscle/mussel
nae/nay/neigh/ née
naval/navel
near/neer
none/nun
noop/noup
O/oh
oar/ore
off/orfe
one/won(p. of win)
oued/wed
out/owt
outer/outta
P/pea/pee
pa/pah/par
paced (p. of pace)/paste
packed/pact
packs/pax
pail/pale
pain/pane
pained (p. of pain)/
paned (p. of pane)
pair/pare/pear
pall/Paul/pawl
pallet/palette/palate
pars/parse/pass
passed/past
pasture/posture
patience/patients
pause/paws
paw/pore/pour
pawn/porn
peak/peek/pique
peal/peel
pea/pee
peas/pees/pease
pecks/pecs
peer/pier
pend/penned (p. of pen)
pendant/pendent
per/pare/purr
petit/petty
petrel/petrol
phrase/frays
pi/pie
pidgin/pigeon
pic/pick
place/plaice
plaid/played (p. of play)
plait/plate
plaits/plates
plain/plane
pleas/please
polar/poler
pole/poll
pool/Poole
pook/pouk
poor/pore/pour
plum/plumb
praise/prays/preys
pray/prey
prayed (p. of pray)/
preyed (p. of prey)
pre/pree
pride/pried (p. of pry)
pries/prise/prize
prince/prints
principal/principle
pros/prose
rack(n)/wrack
raid/rayed (p. of ray)
rail/rale
rain/reign/rein
raise/rase/rays/raze
raiser/razor
rap/wrap
rapper/wrapper
ratchet/wretched
rath/wrath
ray/re(musical note)
read/reed
read (p.p. of read)/ red
real/real
reck/wreck
red/redd
reef/reif
reek/wreak
Reil/rile
Reiter/writer
retch/wretch
rest/wrest
Rhodes/roads
rhyme/rime
rigger/rigour
rill/rille
ring/wring
rins/rinse
rise/ryes
rit/writ
rite/right/write
road/rode (p. of ride)/rowed
roam/Rome
roaster/roster
roe/row
roes/rose/rows
roo/rue
rood/rude/
rued (p. of rue)
role/roll
root/rout/route
rooter/router
rote/wrote
rough/ruff
rout/route
rues (p. of rue)/ruse
rung/
wrung (p. of wring)
rye/wry
sabling/saibling
sac/sack
sacks/sax
safe/seif
sail/ sale
sailer/sailor
sane/seine
sauce/source
say/sey
scalar/scaler
sched/shed
scion/sion
scull/skull
seam/seem
seaman/semen
sear/seer
seas/sees/seize
seen (p.p. of  see)/scene
sens/sense
serf/surf
serf/surf
serious/Sirius
serves/surfs
sew/so/sow(v.)
sewn(p.p. of sew)/
sown(p.p. of sow)
shail/shale
shake/sheikh
shall/shell
she/shea
shear/sheer
shire/shyer
shone/shown
sic/sick
sighs/size
sign/sine
sink/sync
slade/slaid (p. of slide)/
slayed (p. of slay)
slain (p.p. of slay)/slane
slay/sleigh
sleight/slight
slide/slied (p. of sly)
soak/soke
soar/sore
soared/sword
soars/sores
sol(musical note)/sole/soul
sold (p. of sell)/
soled (p.of sole)/
souled (p.of soul)
some/sum
son/sun
sonny/sunny
Sioux/sou/sue
souper/super(v)
spade/spayed (p. of spay)
spear/speer
speared/
speered (p. of speer)
spec/speck
stade/staid/
stayed (p. of stay)
stair/stare
stairs/stares
stake/steak
stakes/steaks
stationary/stationery
steel/steal
stook/stouk
storey/story
straight/strait
strew/'strue
suede/swayed (p. of sway)/suade
suite/sweet
sundae/Sunday
swat/swot
T/ti (musical note)/tea/tee
ta/tar
tacet/tacit
tach/tack
tacks/tax
tail/tale
tailer/tailor
tames/Thames
tare/tear
taught/taut/tort/torte
taxes/taxis
teaed/teed (p. of tee)
team/teem
tear/tier
teas/tease/tees
tends/tents
tenor/tenner
tic/tick
terce/terse
Thai/tie/tye
than/then
they're/there/their
threw/through
throes/throws
throne/thrown (p. of throw)
thyme/time
tide/tied (p. of tie)/tyed (p. of tye)
til/till
tire/tyre
to/too/two
toad/tode/toed (p. of toe)/
towed (p. of tow)
toaster/towster
toe/tow
toes/tows
tomb/toom
ton/tun
tongue/tung
tons/tuns
tool/tulle
tor/tore(p. of tear)/
tour
tough/tuff
trade/treyed
trades/traits
trail/treille
trance/trans-
tray/trey
trance/trans-
tray/trey
trews/trues
tri/try
troop/troupe
tweak/tweek
vail/veil
vain/vane/vein
vale/veil
vary/very
verses/versus
via/vier
vial/vile/Weil
vice/vise
vile/Weil
wack/whack
wacks/wax
wade/weighed
wail/wale/whale
wailer/waler
wain/wane
waist/waste
wait/weight
waited/weighted
waive/wave
waiver/waver
war/wore (p. of wear)
ward/warred (p. of war)
ware/wear/where
warn/worn (p. of wear)
way/weigh/whey
we/wee/whee
we'd/weed/weed (p. of wee)
we've/weave
weak/week
weal/wheal/wheel
weather/whether
weir/we're
weld/welled
wen/when
were/whirr
wet/whet
what/wot
which/witch
whist/wist
whit/wit
white/wight
whither/wither
why/Y
wind (v.)/wined
wine/whine
wo/woe
wont/won't
wood/would
worst/wurst
yaw/yore/your/you're
yolk/yoke





N.B.
1. Sometimes the sound isn't exactly the same, as for example in:
low/law, sow/saw, row/raw, did/deed, seek/sick, lend/land, pen/pan, sit/seat, farther/further, set/sat, advice/advise, cot/caught/coat, cup/cop/cap, furrow/farrow/Pharaoh

2. I didn't put on my list words with the same spelling, although such words are included in the definition of homophones.
Such words (same spelling and sound, but different meaning) are also considered as: Homonyms. For example:
1) light ((n.)=that which evokes the sense of sight) /(adj.)light (=not heavy)
2) state ((n.)=situation )/state((v.)=to say, to express)
3) sound ((n.)=voice) /sound((adj.)=healthy)

♥♥♥ A special thanks to:
·        Maureen Seiger
·        Doreen & Peter Bartholomew from Guildford, UK
·        Shelley
·        Tova
for their contribution to the list.