Homophones And Homonyms List And Examples

Homophones and homonyms can be confusing for ESL students. In this blog post, we’ll provide a list of common homophones and homonyms, along with examples to help you understand how to use them correctly.

What are Homophones and Homonyms?

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings, such as “bear” (the animal) and “bear” (to carry), or “lead” (the metal) and “lead” (to guide). Homonyms are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings, such as “read” (to interpret written information) and “read” (to say out loud).

List of Homophones

1. Ate (consumed) – Eight (number after seven)
2. Bare (exposed) – Bear (large mammal)
3. Blue (color) – Blew (past tense of blow)
4. Flour (ground grain) – Flower (plant blossom)
5. Hair (strands on head) – Hare (type of rabbit)
6. Knight (medieval warrior) – Night (time of darkness)
7. Mail (post) – Male (gender)
8. Peace (tranquility) – Piece (portion)
9. Right (correct) – Write (to inscribe)
10. Sea (large body of water) – See (to perceive visually)
11. Sun (star at the center of our solar system) – Son (male child)
12. Tale (story) – Tail (rear end of an animal)
13. Their (possessive form of they) – There (in that place) – They’re (they are)
14. To (direction) – Too (also) – Two (number)
15. Waste (to use carelessly) – Waist (part of the body)
16. Weather (climatic conditions) – Whether (expressing a doubt or choice)
17. Your (possessive form of you) – You’re (you are)
18. Break (to fracture) – Brake (to stop)
19. Meet (to come into the presence of) – Meat (animal flesh)
20. Sole (bottom part of a shoe) – Soul (spiritual part of a person)

List of Homonyms

1. Bat (flying mammal) – Bat (sports equipment)
2. Bark (tree’s outer layer) – Bark (sound a dog makes)
3. Well (in good health) – Well (water source)
4. Ring (jewelry) – Ring (sound)
5. Light (brightness) – Light (not heavy)
6. Fall (autumn) – Fall (to drop)
7. Scale (for weighing) – Scale (fish skin)
8. Mean (to intend) – Mean (not nice)
9. Right (correct) – Right (direction)
10. Tire (to become exhausted) – Tire (car wheel)
11. Match (to pair) – Match (for starting a fire)
12. Jam (fruit spread) – Jam (to squeeze)
13. Kind (type) – Kind (caring)
14. Bank (financial institution) – Bank (river side)
15. Letter (character) – Letter (written message)
16. Spring (season) – Spring (jump)
17. Park (recreational area) – Park (car maneuver)
18. Bat (to blink) – Bat (sports equipment)
19. Rose (flower) – Rose (past tense of rise)
20. Fair (equitable) – Fair (carnival)