Homophones

Homophones are words that have the same pronunciation but differ in meaning, origin, and sometimes spelling. The term comes from the Greek words “homo” meaning “same” and “phone” meaning “voice” or “sound.”

Types of Homophones#

Perfect Homophones#

Words that sound exactly the same but have different meanings and spellings.

Examples

• To / Too / Two

  • To: Preposition (e.g., I am going to the store.)
  • Too: Also or excessively (e.g., I want to go too. / It’s too hot.)
  • Two: The number (e.g., I have two apples.)

• Their / There / They’re

  • Their: Possessive form of they (e.g., Their house is large.)
  • There: Refers to a place (e.g., She is over there.)
  • They’re: Contraction of they are (e.g., They’re coming with us.)

• Its / It’s

  • Its: Possessive form of it (e.g., The cat licked its paw.)
  • It’s: Contraction of it is (e.g., It’s raining outside.)

• Your / You’re

  • Your: Possessive form of you (e.g., Is this your book?)
  • You’re: Contraction of you are (e.g., You’re my best friend.)

• See / Sea

  • See: To perceive with the eyes (e.g., I can see the bird.)
  • Sea: A large body of saltwater (e.g., The sea is calm today.)

Near Homophones#

Words that sound almost the same but have slight pronunciation differences.

Examples

• Affect / Effect

  • Affect: Usually a verb meaning to influence (e.g., The weather can affect your mood.)
  • Effect: Usually a noun meaning the result (e.g., The effect was surprising.)

• Accept / Except

  • Accept: To receive (e.g., She will accept the award.)
  • Except: Excluding (e.g., Everyone was there except him.)

• Complement / Compliment

  • Complement: Something that completes or goes well with something (e.g., That scarf is a perfect complement to your outfit.)
  • Compliment: A polite expression of praise or admiration (e.g., She gave me a nice compliment.)

• Advice / Advise

  • Advice: Noun meaning a recommendation (e.g., She gave me good advice.)
  • Advise: Verb meaning to recommend (e.g., I advise you to take the train.)

• Capital / Capitol

  • Capital: A city that serves as the seat of government (e.g., Washington D.C. is the capital of the USA.)
  • Capitol: A building where a legislative body meets (e.g., The Capitol building is where Congress meets.)