Further to part one of this series on homonyms, there are more words that have similar sounds but completely different meanings and spellings. These are the sorts of things you will gain confidence in when you learn English abroad with EC!
How many of these homonyms do you know?
| aid - assist, assistance | aide - one who gives assistance |
| coarse – rough | course - path, procedure |
| conduct – behaviour | conduct – to lead |
| council – committee | counsel – guidance |
| creak – squeak | creek – stream of water |
| die – cease to exist | dye – color |
| discreet – tactful | discrete – distinct |
| dual – double | duel – battle |
| elicit – draw out | illicit – illegal |
| eminent – distinguished | imminent – soon |
| ewe – female sheep | you – second-person personal pronoun |
| feat – achievement | feet – plural of foot |
| fir – type of tree | fur – animal hair |
| flea – small biting insect | flee - run |
| forth – onward | fourth - number four |
| grease – fat | Greece - country in Europe |
| hall - passageway | haul – tow |
| halve - cut in two parts | have – possess |
| hi – hello | high – up far |
| hoarse – croaky | horse – animal |
| hoarse – rough voice | horse – animal |
| knead – massage | need – desire |
| leased – past tense of lease | least – the minimum |
| lessen – make smaller | lesson – class |
| loan – lend | lone – solitary |
| made – did make | maid – servant |
| mail – postage | male – opposite of female |
| marry – to wed | merry – very happy |
| meat – animal protein | meet – encounter |
| mince - to chop finely | mints – type of sweet |
| overdo – do too much | overdue – past due date |
| pail – bucket | pale – not bright |
| pain – hurt | pane – window glass |
| peak – highest point | peek – glance |
| pole – post | poll – survey |
| pray – implore God | prey – quarry |
| rap – type of music | wrap – drape around |
| read – past tense of the verb to read | red – colour |
| real – factual | reel – roll |
| ring – encircle | wring – squeeze |
| road – street | rode – past tense of ride |
| role – function | roll – rotate |
| seam – joining edge | seem – appear |
| soar – ascend | sore – hurt place |
| sole – single | soul – essence |
| some – a few | sum – amount |
| threw - past tense of throw | through – passing from one place to another |
| toe - foot appendage | tow - pull along |
| war - battle | wore - did wear |
| we - us | wee - very small |
| weak - not strong | week - seven days |
| wood - material coming from trees | would - conditional auxiliary |
| your - belonging to you | you’re - you are |
Try to get used to these maybe by looking up the word so you get used to spelling it yourself.