Often, a word can have multiple meanings despite having the same sound or spelling. If someone does not have proper knowledge of such words, understanding English can be a difficult task.
Words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings are called homophones.
Homo (same) + Phone (sound) = Homophone (same sound)
In this post, you will find the top 100 Homonyms Examples with Meaning.
Homonyms Examples with Meaning
A
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Accept (to agree or receive something): I accept your apology.
Except (not included): Everyone is invited to the party except for John.
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Accede (consent): The manager acceded to the workers’ demands.
Exceed (surpass): The athlete’s performance exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Access (entrance): The VIPs were given exclusive access to the event.
Excess (more than sufficient): The chef added an excessive amount of salt to the dish.
Adapt (to fit one thing to another): The company will need to adapt to the changing market.
Adopt (ergot pat; take up): They decided to adopt a child from a local orphanage.
Adept (skilful): The artist is adept at capturing the beauty of nature.
Addition: The teacher made some additions to the lesson plan.
Edition: The latest edition of the dictionary includes new words.
Advice (counsel): My parents gave me good advice before my job interview.
Advise: The doctor advised me to take my medication on time.
Affect (to act upon): The recession affected the economy in many ways.
Effect (result): The new policy had a positive effect on the company’s profits.
Affection (feeling of love): She has a deep affection for her pet cat.
Affectation (pretence): His affected mannerisms made him seem insincere.
B
Beneficial: (useful): Running is beneficial to health. Beneficent (lit; doing good) The beneficent millionaire donated a large sum of money to charity.
Biannual (twice every year): The company holds biannual meetings with its stakeholders. Biennial (once every two years): The botanical garden hosts a biennial flower show.
Bare (not covered by anything): The child ran around barefoot on the grass. Bear (tolerate; endure): (i) I cannot bear the pain anymore. (ii) The bear wandered through the forest.
Bard (poet): Emily Dickinson is considered a great bard of American literature. Bird: The hummingbird is one of the smallest birds in the world. Beard: John shaved off his beard for a job interview.
Born: She was born on a sunny day in June. Borne (carried): The boat was borne by the strong currents of the river.
Bathe (fast): He prefers to bathe in the sea. Bath: She enjoys taking a relaxing bath after a long day.
Beside: She placed her bag beside her chair. Besides: Besides English, he is fluent in French and Spanish.
C
Cast: The director cast him in the lead role. Caste: Discrimination based on caste is still prevalent in many parts of India.
Carve: The chef expertly carved the turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Curve: The road ahead had a sharp curve that made driving difficult.
Casual (occasional): (i) He dressed casually for the party. (ii) The company hired casual employees during the holiday season. Causal: There may be a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer.
Cede: Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the United States in 1898. Seed: The farmer planted seeds in the field.
Cease (to stop): The rain had ceased by the time we reached home. Seize: The police officer was able to seize the suspect before he could escape. Siege (act): The siege of the castle lasted for months before the invaders were finally defeated.
Cent: He found a cent on the sidewalk. Sent: She sent a bouquet of flowers to her best friend. Scent: The scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the kitchen.
Censor: The book was censored by the government. Censure (reprove): The senator was censured for his inappropriate behaviour.
Cell: (i) The animal cell is composed of various organelles. (ii) The prisoner was locked up in a small cell. Sell (dispose of): He decided to sell his old car to buy a new one.
Ceremonious: The graduation ceremony was a ceremonious event. Ceremonial: The opening of the parliament is a ceremonial occasion.
D
Defer (postpone): The meeting has been deferred until next week. Differ (oppose): I differ with your opinion on the matter.
Deference (respect): You should show deference to your elders. Difference: There is a big difference between these two products.
Dependant: Take care of your dependents. Dependent: She is dependent on her medication. Defendant: The lawyer argued for the defendant’s innocence.
Defy: Don’t defy the rules. Deify: They almost deified their celebrity idol.
Desert: (i) Antarctica is the largest desert in the world. ii) He deserted his post and ran away. Dessert: The party was served with a delicious chocolate cake as dessert.
Depositary: He is the depositary of my jewellery. Depository: The bank is a depository for valuable documents. Dairy: Amul is the largest cooperative dairy in India. Diary: She wrote about her feelings in her personal diary.
E
Earthy: (i) She has an earthy style of cooking. (ii) The soil is very earthy. Earthly: I do not believe in earthly pleasures.
Emigrant: He is an emigrant from Spain to Canada. Immigrant: The Canadian government has granted citizenship to many immigrants.
Eminent: She was an eminent scientist. Imminent: A storm is now imminent.
Emerge: The butterfly emerged from its cocoon. Immerse: Immerse yourself in the culture of the country.
Eruption: The volcanic eruption created a new island. Irruption: Give a short account of the bird’s irruption during the winter season.
Ensure (to make certain): We need to ensure that all students have access to education. Insure: My car is insured against theft.
Elicit: The teacher elicited a thoughtful response from the students. Illicit: He was involved in illicit activities.
Egoist: She is by nature an egoist and only cares about herself. Egotist: He loves to talk about himself, he’s such an egotist.
Extant: Some manuscripts of ancient Greek literature are still extant. Extent: I was surprised at the extent of the damage caused by the storm. Extinct: Dinosaurs are extinct.
Exceptional: The athlete has exceptional skills. Exceptionable: His behaviour was exceptionable and unacceptable.
Elementary: She has an elementary understanding of math. Elemental: The elements of nature can be destructive.
Economic: The country’s economic situation is improving. Economical: Buying in bulk is more economical in the long run.
Expand: The company plans to expand its operations. Expend: You should not expend all your energy in one day.
Also, Read Adjective Phrase Examples with Answers
F
Fair: (i) She has a fair and just approach to conflict resolution. (ii) I bought this at the county fair. Fare: (i) What is the train fare to Mumbai from Delhi? (ii) He did not fare well in the interview.
Farther: The park is farther from my house than the grocery store. Further: We need to further discuss the details of the project.
Flour: I need to buy some flour to make cookies. Floor: The floor in the kitchen needs to be mopped.
Firm: The mattress is too firm for my liking. Farm: My grandparents own a farm in the countryside.
Fir: The Christmas tree is made of fir branches. Fur: The coat is made of synthetic fur.
Familiar: The song sounds familiar to me. Familial: The disease has a familial history in her family.
Feel: I can feel the warmth of the sun on my skin. Fill: Please fill the bathtub with water.
Feast: We had a feast of sushi and sake last night. Fist: He clenched his fist in anger.
G
Gait: The way you walk or run is your gait.
Gate: A barrier that opens and closes to let people or vehicles through a gate.
Grate: To shred or cut into small pieces, or a metal frame with parallel bars, is to grate.
Great: Something that is impressive, important, or excellent is great.
Gel: A jelly-like substance or a hair styling product is gel.
Jell: To set or become solid, like a jelly or gelatin, is to jell.
Guild: An association of people who work in the same trade or profession is a guild.
Gilled: Having or covered with gills, which are respiratory organs in fish and some other aquatic animals, is gilled.
Gorge: A narrow valley with steep sides or a large amount of food eaten greedily is a gorge.
George: A male given name or the name of a historical figure, such as George Washington, is George.
M
Moral: The moral of the story is to always be honest. Morale: The team’s morale is high after winning the championship.
Mail: Lisa received a letter in the mail today. Male: The male lion roared loudly in the jungle.
Main: The main entrance is on the other side of the building. Mane: The horse’s mane was long and shiny.
Meat: She cooked meat for dinner. Meet: Let’s meet for lunch tomorrow.
Made: She made a cake for her friend’s birthday. Maid: The maid cleaned the house every day.
N
Knight: The knight rode on his horse in full armour. Night: I prefer to sleep at night.
No: There is no way I can finish this project by tomorrow. Know: Do you know how to play the guitar?
Need: I need to buy groceries for the week. Knead: I kneaded the dough for the bread.
Naughty: The dog was being naughty by chewing on the sofa. Knotty: The puzzle has a few knotty problems to solve.
O
Oar: He rowed the boat with a single oar. Ore: The mine produces copper ore.
Ordinance: The city passed an ordinance banning smoking in public parks. Ordnance: The military is stockpiling ordnance for the upcoming mission.
Observance: The religious observance is held every Sunday. Observation: The scientist made an important observation during the experiment.
P
Parson: The parson delivered a sermon at the church. Person: The person who found my lost wallet returned it to me.
Patrol: The security guard patrols the building at night. Petrol: The car runs on petrol.
Persecute: It is wrong to persecute people based on their religion or ethnicity. Prosecute: The district attorney decided to prosecute the suspect for the crime.
Pray: I pray for my family’s health and happiness. Prey: The lion hunts its prey in the savannah.
Promise: I promise to keep your secret safe. Premise: The premise of the movie is about time travel.
Peace: The treaty brought peace to the war-torn country. Piece: She cut a piece of cake for everyone.
R
Roll: He likes to roll down hills in the park. Role: His role in the play is the lead character.
Riot: The soccer fans caused a riot after their team lost. Ryot: The ryot cultivates rice in his fields.
Rout: The team suffered a rout in their last game. Route: The GPS gave us the best route to take to the airport.
Register: I need to register for the conference before the deadline. Registrar: The registrar’s office handles student records.
Reverend: The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. was a civil rights leader. Reverent: The audience was reverent during the concert performance.
Also, Read Sentences with Prepositional Phrases
S
Sanatory: The sanitary conditions in the hospital need to be improved. Sanitary: The sanitary napkins are on the top shelf.
Seize: The police can seize property if it is involved in criminal activity. Siege: They laid siege to the castle.
Site: We need to find a good site for our new factory. Cite: Please cite your sources in your research paper. Sight: The sight of the beautiful sunset took my breath away.
Soldier: The soldier marched proudly in the parade. Shoulder: She had a sore shoulder after playing tennis.
Sole: The chef’s signature dish is a sole fillet with lemon butter sauce. Soul: Her soulful singing brought tears to my eyes.
Sore: His muscles were sore after a long workout. Soar: The kite soared high in the sky. Shore: The children played on the shore of the lake.
Some: Can you give me some information about the topic? Sum: The sum of two and two is four.
Sail: We went on a sailboat for our vacation. Sale: The store is having a clearance sale. Sell: She wants to sell her old bike.
Steal: It is wrong to steal from others. Steel: The construction of the building required a lot of steel. Still: The pond was still and calm.
Sculptor: The sculptor created a beautiful statue out of marble. Sculpture: The museum displayed a variety of sculptures from different eras.
Stair: The old house had a beautiful staircase. Stare: She stared at the painting for a long time.
U
Urban: The urban landscape is very different from the countryside. Urbane: His urbane manners impressed everyone at the party.
V
Vain: She spent hours trying to fix her hair, but it was all in vain. Vein: The doctor found a blocked vein in his patient’s leg. Vane: The wind vane on the roof showed that the wind was coming from the north.
Venal: The judge was accused of being a venal and corrupt official. Venial: His mistake was a venial sin and not a serious crime.
Voluntary: She volunteered at the animal shelter on weekends. Volunteer: He decided to volunteer for the charity event.
Variance: There was a large variance in the test scores of the students. Variation: The variation in climate affects the crops in different regions.
Also, Read Find the Prepositional Phrases in the Following Sentences
W
Ways: There are many different ways to approach the problem. Wage: The workers went on strike to demand higher wages. Weighs: The scale showed that the package weighed five pounds.
Waste: Don’t waste food, there are people who are starving. Waist: She wore a belt around her waist to cinch her dress. West: The sun sets in the west.
Wail: The baby wailed loudly when it was hungry. Well: She wished them well in their new home.
Wave: The surfer rode the waves of the ocean. Waive: The school waived the fee for low-income students.
Warm: The fireplace felt warm and cosy on a cold night. Worm: The compost pile was full of worms.
Word: Keep your word and follow through on your promises. Ward: The hospital had a special ward for patients with contagious diseases.
Weak: His weak immune system made him susceptible to infections. Week: I have a lot of work to do this week. Wick: She lit the candle and watched the wick burn down.
Wait: We had to wait in line for an hour to get tickets. Weight: The weight of the suitcase exceeded the airline’s limit.
Whole: The whole town came out to celebrate the festival. Hole: There was a hole in the fence that needed to be repaired.
Wheat: The farmer harvested a bumper crop of wheat this year. Whet: She used a sharpening stone to whet the blade of her knife.
Weather: The weather forecast predicted rain for the weekend. Whether: She couldn’t decide whether to go to the party or stay home.
Wonder: She expressed her wonder at the beauty of the sunset. Wander: The hiker wandered through the forest, enjoying the sights and sounds.
Y
Yoke: The farmer placed a yoke on the oxen to plough the field. Yolk: The recipe called for two egg yolks.
Yawn: The exhausted student couldn’t help but let out a yawn during class. Yon: The house yon the hill was surrounded by a beautiful garden.
You Asked, We Listened – List of All Grammar Chapters Updated 😍😍
Also, Read
Figures of Speech
Degrees of Comparison
Gerund
