Exploring common English homophones

Two friends smiling at a person in front of them
Reading time: 4 minutes

Navigating the tricky world of homophones can be challenging, especially for English learners. This guide aims to clarify some of the most common homophones and their meanings, helping you use them correctly in your writing.

What is a homophone?

A homophone is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning and often in spelling. Homophones can create confusion in writing since they sound identical, yet their meanings and spellings can vary largely. For instance, "pair" refers to a set of two, while "pear" is a type of fruit. Understanding homophones is essential for mastering both written and spoken English, as misuse can lead to misunderstandings.

What is a homophone?
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree ÃÛÌÒapp can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Here are some common homophones you should be aware of:

There / Their / They're

  • There: refers to a place or position. Example: "The book is over there."
  • Their: possessive form of "they." Example: "Their car is parked outside."
  • They're: contraction of "they are." Example: "They're going to the concert tonight."

To / Too / Two

  • To: used to indicate direction, place, or position. Example: "I am going to the market."
  • Too: means "also" or "excessively." Example: "She is coming too." / "It is too hot."
  • Two: the number 2. Example: "I have two cats."

Your / You're

  • Your: possessive form of "you." Example: "Is this your book?"
  • You're: contraction of "you are." Example: "You're very kind."

Hear / Here

  • Hear: to perceive sound. Example: "Can you hear the music?"
  • Here: refers to a location. Example: "Come over here."

Its / It's

  • Its: possessive form of "it." Example: "The dog chased its tail."
  • It's: contraction of "it is." Example: "It's raining outside."

Where / Wear

  • Where: refers to a location. Example: "Where are you going?"
  • Wear: to have clothing on one's body. Example: "What will you wear to the party?"

Peace / Piece

  • Peace: a state of tranquility or quiet. Example: "She enjoys the peace of the countryside."
  • Piece: a portion of an object or material. Example: "Can I have a piece of cake?"

Whether / Weather

  • Whether: expressing a doubt or choice between alternatives. Example: "I can't decide whether to go or stay."
  • Weather: the state of the atmosphere (e.g., rain, sunshine). Example: "The weather is lovely today."

Right / Write

  • Right: correct or appropriate. Example: "You have the right answer."
  • Write: to compose text or letters. Example: "I need to write an email."

Threw / Through

  • Threw: past tense of "throw." Example: "He threw the ball."
  • Through: moving in one side and out of the other. Example: "She walked through the door."

Bear / Bare

  • Bear: a large mammal or to endure. Example: "We saw a bear in the forest." / "I can't bear to watch."
  • Bare: uncovered or exposed. Example: "She walked on the bare floor."

Break / Brake

  • Break: to separate into pieces. Example: "Be careful not to break the vase."
  • Brake: a device for slowing or stopping a vehicle. Example: "Hit the brake to stop the car."

Buy / By / Bye

  • Buy: to purchase. Example: "I need to buy groceries."
  • By: preposition indicating the means or agent performing an action. Example: "The book was written by Jane."
  • Bye: short form of "goodbye." Example: "She waved bye as she left."

Cell / Sell

  • Cell: a small room or a basic unit of life. Example: "Prisoners are held in a cell." / "Cells are the building blocks of life."
  • Sell: to exchange for money. Example: "They want to sell their old car."

Fair / Fare

  • Fair: just or equitable. Example: "That's a fair decision."
  • Fare: the money paid for a journey. Example: "The bus fare is £2."

Flower / Flour

  • Flower: the bloom of a plant. Example: "The garden is full of beautiful flowers."
  • Flour: ground grain used in baking. Example: "I need flour to bake a cake."

Principal / Principle

  • Principal: most important or the head of a school. Example: "The principal reason is clear." / "The school principal is retiring."
  • Principle: a fundamental truth or belief. Example: "He stands by his principles."

Raise / Rays

  • Raise: to lift or increase. Example: "Raise your hand if you know the answer."
  • Rays: lines of light from the sun or another source. Example: "Sun rays are warm."

Road / Rode

  • Road: a pathway or street for vehicles. Example: "They live on a quiet road."
  • Rode: past tense of "ride." Example: "She rode her bike to school."

Way / Weigh

  • Way: a method or direction. Example: "Can you show me the way?"
  • Weigh: to measure weight. Example: "Please weigh the fruit."

Understanding these homophones and their meanings will help you avoid common mistakes and improve your English writing skills. Make sure to take note of any unusual ones you find so you know how to correct it next time.Ìý

Explore our posts 'Translating sayings into English – with some funny results' or 'English tongue twisters to test your English skills'

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • A woman sat on a sofa with a tv controller

    Five great film scenes that can help improve your English

    By

    Watching films can be a great way for people to learn English. We all have our favourite movie moments and, even as passive viewers, they're probably teaching you more than you realise. Here's a selection of our favourite scenes, along with the reasons why they're educational as well as entertaining.

    Ìý

  • A woman on her laptop smiling and working

    The science behind Smart Lesson Generator: Making teaching easier with AI

    By Thomas Gardner
    Reading time: 4 minutes

    It's 6 AM on a Monday morning. Ms. Lopez wakes up early to prepare for the day ahead. She spends the morning reviewing lesson plans, making sure everything is ready for her students. By lunchtime, she is preparing for the afternoon, grabbing a quick bite between classes... but it doesn’t stop there. The school day finishes but Ms. Lopez stays late marking assignments. Finally, on Sunday night, she sits at her kitchen table, surrounded by papers, course books and lesson plans.

    Does this sound familiar? You are not alone.

    The challenge teachers face

    In 2024, ÃÛÌÒapp research found thatÌý76% of teachers spend at least one hour of their personal time on lesson planning each week, with 43% spending more than three hours. This is a lot of time that could be spent on other important tasks. Teachers need a solution that helps them plan lessons fast, is connected to their course books and is built by learning experts.

  • A teacher stood in front of her class with her students raising their hands

    What is rapid prototyping and how can it apply to the ELT classroom?

    By Nicole Kyriacou
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    Tom Chi is an internet veteran with quite a resumé. His roles have been many and varied – from astrophysical researcher to Fortune 500 consultant and corporate executive, developing new hardware and software products and services.

    He worked on Microsoft Outlook when it was in its infancy, was a major influence in taking Yahoo Search from 0 to 90 million users and is now Head of Product Experience at Google X – Alphabet’s secretive division focused on creating technological innovations for the future. It has produced the self-driving car and Google Glass, and its Project Loon aims to provide internet to every square inch of the earth.

    At Google X, Tom was in a unique position – always having to think five, ten or even more years ahead in order to conceptualize and build the technology of the future. As you might imagine, this is far from an easy task; not only do the ideas have to be original, but they have to meet people’s future needs – something that is not easy to predict.

    So, how does Tom and the others at Google X deliver their vision for the future using today's materials and technology?

    That’s where Rapid Prototyping comes in. It’s a concept that allows teams to experiment, learn and adjust prototypes quickly and cheaply, so that projects (and products) get off the ground. Failure is seen as a starting block and an inevitable part of the learning process. Following his workshop, we are going to look further at rapid prototyping and how it can relate to the ELT classroom.