Homonym List for ESL Learners

8/13/2019 Homonym List for ESL Learners

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Homonym List for ESL Learners - A - E

affect- effect

affect - verb -> to change or influence something or someoneaffect - She wanted to affectthe students in a way they'd never forget.

effect - noun -> the result of a change or influenceThe effectof the performance was stunning.

aisle- isle

aisle - noun -> the walkway, as in a theaterI quickly walked down the aisleand took my seat.

isle - noun -> islandHe grew up on the isleof Ela.

allowed- aloud

allowed - past tense of the verb 'to allow' -> to permitHis mother allowedhim to stay up late on Saturday.

aloud - adverb -> using the voice, not silentlyShe read the story aloud.

ate- eight

ate - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to eat'She atea quick lunch and returned to work.

eight - number -> the number 8I ought eighttickets to the concert.

ball- bawl

ball - noun -> a round object used in games and sportsHe took a ballto the each to play with the children.

bawl - verb -> to cry (usually very hard)!lease don't bawl" It's not that ad.

bear- bare

bear - verb -> to stand somethingHe can't beare#ams.


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bare - adjective -> naked, without clothingHe stood outside in the rain completely bare.

base- bass

base - noun -> the bottom support of somethingI think we need a new basefor that lamp.

bass - noun -> the lowest pitches in music, singer of the lowest pitchesI sang bassin the church choir.

billed- build

billed - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to bill'She billedthe clients for $%&.

build - verb -> to construct

They buildhouses in !ortland& (regon.

blew- blue

blew - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to blow'She blewa lot of ules at her irthday party.

blue - adjective -> a colourHer house is painted blue.

board- bored

board - noun -> a plan of woodI used a boardto cover the window.

bored - adjective -> not interestedHe was boredy the meeting.

break- brake

break - verb -> to damage something)nfortunately& I often breakmy toys"

brake - noun -> stopping device on a vehicleHe used the braketo stop quickly.

buy- by- bye

buy - verb -> to purchase*o they often buyclothes in that shop+


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by - preposition -> often used to epress the agent in a passive sentenceThe song was written byHammersmith.

bye - noun -> farewellBye" I'll see you tomorrow.

capital- capitol

capital - noun -> ! town or city that is head of government(lympia is the capitalof ,ashington state.

capitol - noun -> ! building where the government meetsThe capitolis a eautiful uilding.

cell- sell

cell - noun -> a small room, usually in a prison

There are two prisoners per cellin that prison.

sell - verb -> to provide for saleTheysellooks and magaines.

cent- scent- sent

cent - noun -> "#"$$ of a dollar(ne centisn't worth very much.

scent - noun -> an aroma

Thescentin the air is faulous"

sent - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to send'Isentyou some pictures last week.

chance- chants

chance - noun -> not on purposeI saw ary y chancein /alifornia.

chants - noun (plural) -> simple song or melody,e did some grammar chantsin class last week.

chews- choose

chews - verb -> third person present singular of the verb 'to chew'y daughter chewsher food well.

choose - verb -> to make a decision from amongst more than one(0& I choosethe red one.


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close- clothes

close - verb -> to shut!lease closethe door when you come in.

clothes - noun -> articles of clothingHe put on his clothesand left for work.

coarse- course

coarse - adjective -> rough, not smoothThe faric is rather coarse.

course - noun -> a class in which a subject is studiedThe English coursewill egin ne#t week.

creak- creek

creak - verb -> to s%ueak (make a high pitch sound)The doors in the house all creak.

creek - noun -> small streamThe creekwinds through the eautiful valley.

days- daze

days - noun -> plural of 'day'I work five daysa week.

da&e - noun -> confused stateHe walks around in a daze.

dear- deer

dear - adjective -> beloved, often used to begin a lettery dear1ichard& you 2ust don't understand"

deer - noun -> an animal (ambi - irregular plural deer),e saw three deeron our hike in the mountains.

dew- do- due

dew - noun -> light water condensation usually found in the morningThe grass was covered with dew.

do - verb -> to performThey usually dotheir homework immediately after school.


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due - adjective -> payableThe full payment is duey the end of the month.

facts- fax

facts - noun -> things objectively considered 'true'The factspointed to r Smith as the criminal.

fa - noun -> a document transmitted via telephoneI sent a faxto the office in /hicago.

fair- fare

fair - adjective -> light skinned, of light compleionShe is fairwith long lond hair.

fare - noun -> cost of ticket (generally travel)

I paid fifteen dollars for the fare.

fairy- ferry

fairy - noun -> a magic person or beingThe tooth fairyrings $3 for each tooth.

ferry - noun -> a boat that transports cars and other vehicles,e took the ferryto Sardinia last summer.

find- fined

find - verb -> to discoverI often findcoins at the each.

fined - adjective -> charged a penaltyHe was fined$4 for illegal parking.

flour- flower

flour - noun -> powdered grain used for cookingI want to make some cookies. /ould you pick up a ag of flourat the supermarket+

flower - noun -> beautiful blooming part of a plantThat floweris eautiful"

for- four

for - prepositionI ought these foryou.


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four - number -> She wants to ring fourfriends with her to the party.

foreword- forward

foreword - noun -> introduction to a bookTimothy 5eary wrote the forewordto 0en's ook.

forward - adjective -> advancing,e moved forwardin the line.

gene- jean

gene - noun -> a chromosomeThe 6geneis responsile for eye colour.

jean - noun -> fabric

7eans are made ofjean.

grease- Greece

grease - noun -> lubricant, fatHe put somegreaseon the wheel.

*reece - proper noun -> the countryGreeceis considered the irthplace of western philosophy.

groan- grown

groan - noun -> low sound epressing displeasureStudents oftengroanwhen I announce a test.

grown - verb -> past participle of the verb 'to grow'y daughter hasgrownquite a it this year.

hair- hare

hair - noun -> the collective strands on your headShe's got long rown hair.

hare - noun -> similar to a rabbitHe shot a harewhile in the field.

hay- hey

hay - noun -> dried grass often used as food for cattle, horses, etc+,e spent last week collecting hayfrom the fields.


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hey - epression -> shoutHey" ,atch out"

heal- heel

heal - verb -> to cure a disease*octors healthousands of patients a year.

heel - noun -> the back part of the foot or shoeI hurt my heelplaying tennis.

hear- here

hear - verb -> to listen*id you hearwhat he said+

here - adverb -> at this place

Is this your ook here+

hi- high

hi - salutation -> elloHi" How are you today+

high - adjective -> tall, way upount 1ainier is e#tremely high.

hoarse- horse

hoarse - adjective -> rough voice8our voice is hoarse. *o you have a cold+

horse - noun -> animal/owoy Tom had a horsenamed 7oe.

hole- whole

hole - noun -> round openingThere is a holein the wall we need to repair.

whole - adjective -> entireHe ate the wholepie"

hour- our

hour - noun -> sity minutesIt took one hourto finish the e#ercise.


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our - possessive adjective -> belonging to usThat's ourhouse on the corner.

knight- night

knight - noun -> warrior from the middle ages9rthur was a knightof the round tale.

night - noun -> evening to early morningI went to ed late last night.

knot- naught- not

knot - noun -> fastening in a cordHe tied a knotto secure the rope.

naught - noun -> nothing

His efforts came to naught.

not - adverb -> in no wayIt's nother fault.

know- no

know - verb -> to have knowledgeThey didn't knowwhere she had studied.

no - adverb -> epresses refusal

No" I don't want to come"

leased- least

leased - verb -> past form of 'lease' to rentThey leasedthey office for three months.

least - superlative adjective -> the minimumShe was the leastsuccessful of the candidates.

loan- lone

loan - verb -> to allow someone to borrow/an you loanme some money until tomorrow+

lone - adjective -> the only oneShe is the loneperson who speaks :rench.

made- maid


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made - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to make'She mademe a cup of tea.

maid - noun -> domestic helpThe maidcleaned the room.

mail- male

mail - noun -> postI got a lot of mailtoday.

male - adjective -> relative to menHis malefriends are cray"

marry- merry

marry - verb -> to join in matrimony

Is a pastor going to marrythem+

merry - adjective -> happy,e had a merrytime at the pu.

meat- meet

meat - noun -> animal fleshI really don't like horse meat.

meet - verb -> to see someone, to be introduced

5et's meetne#t week.

mince- mints

mince - verb -> to chop finely/an you mincethat parsley+

mints - noun plural -> type of sweetI en2oy 9fter Eight mints.

missed- mist

missed - verb -> past tense of verb 'to miss'I missedthe airplane and had to ook another flight.

mist - noun -> light fogIreland is famous for mist.

morning- mourning


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morning - noun -> am5et's meet tomorrow morningat nine.

mourning - noun -> remember the deadShe was in mourningfor three years.

none- nun

none - pronoun -> not one

Noneof the students came to the party.

nun - noun -> woman of *od (atholic)The nunhelped the children understand the song.

one- won

one - number -> "

(nly oneman came to the presentation.

won - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to win'I wona prie at the competition.

pail- pale

pail - noun -> bucket)se thatpailto hold the water.

pale - adjective -> light colored

She looks ratherpale.

pear- pair

pear - noun -> a type of fruitShe ate apearfor lunch.

pair - noun -> two (usually matching)I ought a newpairof shoes last weekend.

patience- patients

patience - noun -> %uality of being willing to waitSuccess requires a lot ofpatience.

patients - noun plural -> person treated in a hospital or by a doctorThere are too manypatientswaiting in the emergency room.

piece- peace


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piece - noun -> part of somethingI had apieceof pie for dessert.

peace - noun -> the state of no war,e all hope to live inpeace.

plain- plane

plain - adjective -> not fancyThe food was ratherplainin England.

plane - noun -> short for 'airplane'Theplanetook off at si# in the morning.

practice- practise

practice - noun -> a period of training generally for sport or music

I went topracticeafter school was finished.

practise - verb -> to train for musicIpractisethe piano for two hours every day.

rain- reign

rain - noun -> precipitationI can't stand rain" I prefer sunny weather.

reign - noun -> period of rule

;ueen Eliaeth the Second's reigncontinues to this day.

read- red

read - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to read'I read1ait 9t 1est last week.

red - colory favorite color is red.

right- write

right - adjective -> correctThat answer is right"

write - verb -> to put something down on paperI prefer to writemy letters in pen.

road- rode


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road - noun -> streetI took the country roadinstead of taking the freeway.

rode - verb -> past tense of the verb 'ride'He rodea horse last weekend.

rose- rows

rose - noun -> flowerI gave my girlfriend a red rosefor her irthday.

rows - noun plural -> hori&ontal line of somethingThere are fifteen rowsin the theater.

sail- sale

sail - verb -> to go by sailboat

They oftensailat weekends.

sale - noun -> selling at reduced prices5et's go to thesaleat the supermarket this afternoon.

scene- seen

scene - noun -> visual locationThescenewas set in the south of :rance.

seen - verb -> past participle of the verb 'to see'

I haven'tseenhim in years"

sea- see

sea - noun -> large body of water,e took a ferry across thesea.

see - verb -> to visuali&e/an youseehim over there+

sew- so

sew - verb -> to use needle and threadost people don'tsewtheir own clothes.

so - adverb -> to a great etent, veryThe test wassodifficult I almost failed.

sole- soul


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sole - adjective -> the only oneShe was thesoleperson to understand him.

soul - noun -> immortal part of a personany people elieve that thesoulgoes to heaven when we die.

son- sun

son - noun -> male child(ursongoes to Harvard"

sun - noun -> the star that lights our solar systemThesunshone right yesterday.

stair- stare

stair - noun -> step


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threw - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to throw'He threwthe all to his father.

through - preposition -> passing from one place to anotherHe went throughthe tunnel.

to- too- two

to - preposition -> towards (among many uses)I went to him and offered my congratulations.

too - adverb -> alsoTom visited =ew 8ork& too.

two - number -> .She ought twomagaines and some candy.

vary- very

vary - verb -> to change1esults may varywith daily or weekly use.

very - adverb -> to a high degreeShe was veryhappy to see 7im.

waist- waste

waist - noun -> area between ribs and hips

I need to reduce the fat around my waist.

waste - verb -> to not use well*on't wastetime" Start studying"

wait- weight

wait - verb -> to remain ready for someone or something/an you wait2ust a moment+

weight - noun -> an amount of heavinessI wish my weightwere lower.

war- wore

war - noun -> armed conflictThe warin Iraq is damaging relations with the rest of the world.

wore - verb -> past tense of the verb 'to wear'He worea eautiful suit to the interview.


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wear- where

wear - verb -> to attireodels generally wear2eans and not the e#pensive clothes they show on the walkway.

where - %uestion word

Wheredoes he come from+

weak- week

weak - adjective -> opposite of strongy left arm is very weak. I need to do some e#ercises.

week - noun -> seven daysy work weekis very long and hard.

weather- whether

weather - noun -> the meteorological conditionsThe weather has een quite eautiful this week.

whether - conjunction -> whether +++ or - indicates an alternativeI don't whetherhe will come or not.

which- witch

which - %uestion word -> indicating choice among manyWhichvacation should we choose+

witch - noun -> magic womanSarah was urned as a witchduring the Salem ,itch Trials.

wood- would

wood - noun -> material coming from treesThe desk is made out of wood.

would - verb -> conditional auiliaryI wouldlike to visit you soon.

Documents

Homonym List for ESL Learners