Homophones

 
http://www.st-­‐marys-­‐pri.suffolk.sch.uk/homophones.htm  

Homophones  are  words  that  sound  the  same  but  are  spelled  differently  and  
have  different  meanings.  
hey  –  hay     tie  –  tye     blue  –  blew     ate  –  eight     hi  -­‐  high  

red  –  read     low  –  lo     been  –  bean     pear  –  pair     beech  -­‐  beach  

nose  –  knows   whine  –  wine   steel  –  steal     in  –  inn     Mane  –  main  

reign  –  rain     here  –  hear     new  –  knew     no  –  know     where  –  wear  

hole  –  whole     threw  –  through   night  –  knight   weight  –  wait   be  –  bee  

flea  –  flee     sun  –  son     break  –  brake   steak  –  stake     Tea  –  tee  

flour  –  flower   hair  –  hare     sail  –  sale     pail  –  pale     die  –  dye  

mail  –  male     tail  –  tale     board  –  bored   berry  –  bury     fair  –  fare  

sell  –  cell     fate  –  fete     mist  –  missed   war  –  wore     pane  –  pain  

made  –  maid     plain  –  plane     time  –  thyme     heard  –  herd     peace  –  piece  

wood  –  would   write  –  right     toe  –  tow     stare  –  stair     but  –  butt  

our  –  hour     bear  –  bare     great  –  grate     see  –  sea     deer  –  dear  

which  –  witch   way  –  weigh     owe  –  oh     some  –  sum     I  –  eye  

slay  –  sleigh     road  –  rode     days  –  daze     fur  –  fir     meet  –  meat  

weather  –  whether         read  -­‐  reed  

 their  –  there  –  they’re     for  –  four  –  fore       flew  –  flu  –  flue  

I’ll  –  isle  –  aisle       your  –  you’re  –  yore     by  –  buy  –  bye  

to  –  too  –  two       So  –  sow  –  sew       you  –  yew  –  ewe  

We  –  wee  –  whee       or  –  oar  –  ore  

No  wonder  making  spelling  choices  is  so  difficult!  

 Homonyms

A homonym is defined as one of two or more words that have the same sound and
often the same spelling but differ in meaning, such as too (also) and two (the
number). by Leonard C. Duncan, www.phonicsandspelling.com

acts – ax ad – add aid – aide ail – ail

ant – aunt ate – eight bald – bawled ball - bawl
bear – bare base – bass be – bee beat – beet
build – billed blue – blew brake – break bread - bred
but – butt by – bye – buy cell – sell cent – scent - sent
scents – sense cheap – cheep chews – choose clause – claws
close – clothes coarse – course creak – creek crews – cruise
dear – deer do – dew – due die – dye dough - doe
earn – urn eye –I facts – fax fair - fare
feat – feet find – fined fir – fur flea – flee
flew – flu flour – flower for – four forth - fourth
foul – fowl gait – gate grate – great groan - grown
hail – hale hair – hare hall – haul halve – have
hey – hay heal – heel hear – here heard - herd
hi – high him – hymn hole – whole hoarse – horse
hour – our in – inn knew – new knight – night
knot – not know –no knows – nose lead – led
loan – lone maid – made male – mail main – mane
meat – meet none – nun oar – or - ore oh – owe
one – won pail – pale pain – pane pair – pear
paws – pause peace – piece peak – peek plain – plane
pray – prey prints – prince rain – reign – rein rap – wrap
read – red read – reed real – reel right – write
ring – wring road – rode – rowed role – roll root – route
rose – rows rung – wrung sail – sale scene – seen
sea – see sew – so shoe – shoo side – sighed
sighs – size slay – sleigh soar – sore soared – sword
some – sum son – sun stair – stare steak – stake
steal – steel tail – tale teas – tease their – there
threw – through throne – thrown tide – tied to – two – too
toad – towed toe –tow wade – weighed waist – waste
wait – weight wear – where way – weigh weak - week
which – witch wood - would
 Homographs

Homographs are words that are spelled the same, but have different
pronunciations and meanings. created by A. Terry Bahill and colleagues

The dove dove into the deep grass.

I could close the door, because I was close to it.

I will wind my watch when the wind blows.

I will present my present wife with a present.

I did not object to that object.

The torniquet was wound above the wound.

The landfill was so full it had to refuse refuse.

Being alone in the desert, the soldier decided to desert.

The hunter does devious things to attract bucks, but not does.

A farm can produce produce.

You may resume writing your résumé.

I will lead you to the lead mine.

At the house where the cat with nine lives lives, the servants who are Polish polish the silverware best.

(Some other candidates: bass, bow, do, read, row, sow, tear.)

Homographs should not be confused with the more common homophones. Homophones are words
that are pronounced the same, but have different spellings or derivations.

Good night my brave knight.

Which doctor is the witch doctor?

Your prints of the prince will be developed tomorrow.

Principal engineers should have good principles (Patrick Harris).

In the fall, the leaves leave their branches.

In the fall, when the leaves begin to fall, I will leave on vacation (Pitu Mirchandani)

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like a banana.

 Antonyms
www.paulnoll.com/Books/Clear-English/English-antonyms

Antonyms  are  words  that  mean  the  opposite.  

after  –  before     all  –  none     asleep  –  awake     beautiful  –  ugly   behind  –  in  front  

below  –  above     best  –  worst     black  –  white     bright  –  dull     city  –  country  

clever  –  foolish     closed  –  open     come  –  go     dark  –  light     day  –  night  

dead  –  alive     dirty  –  clean     dull  –  sharp     early  –  late     easy  –  difficult  

empty  –  full     fat  –  skinny     few  –  many     find  –  lose     front  –  back  

give  –  take     go  –  stay     happy  –  sad     hard  –  soft     healthy  –  sick  

heavy  –  light     high  –  low     husband  –  wife     kind  –  mean     king  –  queen  

last  –  first     laugh  –  cry     least  –  most     left  –  right     little  –  big  

lock  –  unlock     long  –  short     man  –  woman     morning  –  night   near  –  far  

new  –  used     new  –  old     no  one  –  everybody   noisy  –  quiet     off  –  on  

often  –  seldom     out  –  in       poor  –  rich     push  –  pull     right  –  wrong  

sick  –  well     simple  –  complex   slow  –  fast     small  –  large     smart  –  dumb  

take  –  bring     top  –  bottom     ugly  –  pretty     under  –  over     up  –  down  

wet  –  dry     work  –  play     young  –  old     absent  –  present   against  –  for  

bitter  –  sweet     borrow  –  lend     brave  –scared     buy  –  sell     careful  –  careless  

cheerful  –  sad     crooked  –  straight   cruel  –  kind     deep  –  shallow     different  –  same  

enemy  –  friend     exciting  –  dull     exit  –  entrance     expensive  –  cheap   fancy  –  plain  

finish  –  begin     floor  –  ceiling     foolish  –  wise     forget  –  remember   forward  –  backward  

graceful  –  clumsy   guilty  –  innocent   increase  –  decrease   lead  –  follow     loose  –  tight  

lower  –  raise     part  –  whole     polite  –  rude     quick  –  slow     reward  –  punishment  

rough  –  smooth   send  –  receive     sharp  –  dull     sink  –  float     tame  –  wild  

thick  –  thin     true  –  false     war  –  peace     whisper  –  yell     wide  -­‐  narrow  

 
 Synonyms  

Synonyms are words that have the same meaning. larae.net/write/synonyms.html

Amazing- incredible, unbelievable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding,

extraordinary

Anger- enrage, infuriate, exasperate, madden

Angry- mad, furious, enraged, excited, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed

Answer- reply, respond, retort, acknowledge

Ask- question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire,
query, interrogate, examine, quiz

Awful- dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant

Bad- evil, immoral, wicked, corrupt, sinful, depraved, rotten, spoiled, tainted, harmful, injurious,
unfavorable, defective, inferior, imperfect, substandard, faulty, improper, inappropriate, unsuitable,
disagreeable, unpleasant, cross, nasty, unfriendly, horrible, atrocious, outrageous, scandalous,
infamous, wrong, noxious, sinister, putrid, snide, deplorable, dismal, gross, heinous, obnoxious,
detestable, despicable, contemptible, foul, rank, ghastly

Beautiful - pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely,
fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, delicate, stunning, glorious,
heavenly, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling

Begin - start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate

Big - enormous, huge, immense, gigantic, vast, colossal, gargantuan, large, sizable, grand, great,
tall, substantial, mammoth, astronomical, ample, broad, expansive, spacious, stout, tremendous,
titanic, mountainous

Brave - courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold,
gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome

Break - fracture, rupture, shatter, smash, wreck, crash, demolish, atomize

Bright - shining, shiny, gleaming, brilliant, sparkling, shimmering, radiant, vivid, colorful, lustrous,
luminous, incandescent, intelligent, knowing, quick-witted, smart, intellectual

Calm - quiet, peaceful, still, tranquil, mild, serene, smooth, composed, collected, unruffled, level-
headed, unexcited, detached, aloof

Come - approach, advance, near, arrive, reach

Cool - chilly, cold, frosty, wintry, icy, frigid

Crooked - bent, twisted, curved, hooked, zigzag

Cry - shout, yell, yowl, scream, roar, bellow, weep, wail, sob, bawl

Cut - gash, slash, prick, nick, sever, slice, carve, cleave, slit, chop, crop, lop, reduce

Dangerous - perilous, hazardous, risky, uncertain, unsafe

Dark - shadowy, unlit, murky, gloomy, dim, dusky, shaded, sunless, black, dismal, sad

Decide - determine, settle, choose, resolve

Definite - certain, sure, positive, determined, clear, distinct, obvious

Delicious - savory, delectable, appetizing, luscious, scrumptious, palatable, delightful, enjoyable,

toothsome, exquisite

Describe - portray, characterize, picture, narrate, relate, recount, represent, report, record

Destroy - ruin, demolish, waste, kill, slay, end, extinguish

Difference - disagreement, inequity, contrast, dissimilarity, incompatibility

Do - execute, enact, carry out, finish, conclude, effect, accomplish, achieve, attain

Dull - boring, tiring,, tiresome, uninteresting, slow, dumb, stupid, unimaginative, lifeless, dead,
insensible, tedious, wearisome, listless, expressionless, plain, monotonous, humdrum, dreary

Eager - keen, fervent, enthusiastic, involved, interested, alive to

End - stop, finish, terminate, conclude, close, halt, cessation, discontinuance

Enjoy - appreciate, delight in, be pleased, indulge in, luxuriate in, bask in, relish, devour, savor, like

Explain - elaborate, clarify, define, interpret, justify, account for

Fair - just, impartial, unbiased, objective, unprejudiced, honest

Fall - drop, descend, plunge, topple, tumble

False - fake, fraudulent, counterfeit, spurious, untrue, unfounded, erroneous, deceptive, groundless

Famous - well-known, renowned, celebrated, famed, illustrious, distinguished, noted, notorious

Fast - quick, rapid, speedy, fleet, hasty, snappy, mercurial, swiftly, rapidly, quickly, snappily, speedily,
lickety-split, posthaste, hastily, expeditiously, like a flash

Fat - stout, corpulent, fleshy, beefy, paunchy, plump, full, rotund, tubby, pudgy, chubby, chunky,
burly, bulky

Fear - fright, dread, terror, alarm, dismay, anxiety, scare, awe, horror, panic, apprehension

Fly - soar, hover, flit, wing, flee, waft, glide, coast, skim, sail, cruise
Funny - humorous, amusing, droll, comic, comical, laughable, silly

Get - acquire, obtain, secure, procure, gain, fetch, find, score, accumulate, win, earn, rep, catch, net,
bag, derive, collect, gather, glean, pick up, accept, come by, regain, salvage

Go - recede, depart, fade, disappear, move, travel, proceed

Good - excellent, fine, superior, wonderful, marvelous, qualified, suited, suitable, apt, proper,
capable, generous, kindly, friendly, gracious, obliging, pleasant, agreeable, pleasurable, satisfactory,
well-behaved, obedient, honorable, reliable, trustworthy, safe, favorable, profitable, advantageous,
righteous, expedient, helpful, valid, genuine, ample, beneficial, splendid, great, noble, worthy, first-
rate, top-notch, grand, sterling, superb, respectable

Great - noteworthy, worthy, distinguished, remarkable, grand, considerable, powerful, much, mighty

Gross - improper, rude, coarse, indecent, crude, vulgar, outrageous, extreme, grievous, shameful,
uncouth, obscene, low

Happy - pleased, contented, satisfied, delighted, elated, joyful, cheerful, ecstatic, jubilant, tickled,
gratified, glad, blissful, overjoyed

Hate - despise, loathe, detest, abhor, disfavor, dislike, disapprove, abominate

Have - hold, possess, own, contain, acquire, gain, maintain, believe, bear, beget, occupy, absorb, fill,
enjoy

Help - aid, assist, support, encourage, back, wait on, attend, serve, relieve, succor, benefit, befriend,
abet

Hide - conceal, cover, mask, cloak, camouflage, screen, shroud, veil

Hurry - rush, run, speed, race, hasten, urge, accelerate, bustle

Hurt - damage, harm, injure, wound, distress, afflict, pain

Idea - thought, concept, conception, notion, understanding, opinion, plan, view, belief

Important - necessary, vital, critical, indispensable, valuable, essential, significant, primary, principal,
considerable, famous, distinguished, notable, well-known

Interesting - fascinating, engaging, sharp, keen, bright, intelligent, animated, spirited, attractive,
inviting, intriguing, provocative, though-provoking, challenging, inspiring, involving, moving, titillating,
tantalizing, exciting, entertaining, piquant, lively, racy, spicy, engrossing, absorbing, consuming,
gripping, arresting, enthralling, spellbinding, curious, captivating, enchanting, bewitching, appealing

Keep - hold, retain, withhold, preserve, maintain, sustain, support

Kill - slay, execute, assassinate, murder, destroy, cancel, abolish

Lazy - indolent, slothful, idle, inactive, sluggish

Little - tiny, small, diminutive, shrimp, runt, miniature, puny, exiguous, dinky, cramped, limited, itsy-
bitsy, microscopic, slight, petite, minute

Look - gaze, see, glance, watch, survey, study, seek, search for, peek, peep, glimpse, stare,
contemplate, examine, gape, ogle, scrutinize, inspect, leer, behold, observe, view, witness, perceive,
spy, sight, discover, notice, recognize, peer, eye, gawk, peruse, explore

Love - like, admire, esteem, fancy, care for, cherish, adore, treasure, worship, appreciate, savor

Make - create, originate, invent, beget, form, construct, design, fabricate, manufacture, produce,
build, develop, do, effect, execute, compose, perform, accomplish, earn, gain, obtain, acquire, get

Mark - label, tag, price, ticket, impress, effect, trace, imprint, stamp, brand, sign, note, heed, notice,
designate

Mischievous - prankish, playful, naughty, roguish, waggish, impish, sportive

Move - plod, go, creep, crawl, inch, poke, drag, toddle, shuffle, trot, dawdle, walk, traipse, mosey, jog,
plug, trudge, slump, lumber, trail, lag, run, sprint, trip, bound, hotfoot, high-tail, streak, stride, tear,
breeze, whisk, rush, dash, dart, bolt, fling, scamper, scurry, skedaddle, scoot, scuttle, scramble, race,
chase, hasten, hurry, hump, gallop, lope, accelerate, stir, budge, travel, wander, roam, journey, trek,
ride, spin, slip, glide, slide, slither, coast, flow, sail, saunter, hobble, amble, stagger, paddle, slouch,
prance, straggle, meander, perambulate, waddle, wobble, pace, swagger, promenade, lunge

Moody - temperamental, changeable, short-tempered, glum, morose, sullen, mopish, irritable, testy,
peevish, fretful, spiteful, sulky, touchy

Neat - clean, orderly, tidy, trim, dapper, natty, smart, elegant, well-organized, super, desirable,
spruce, shipshape, well-kept, shapely

New - fresh, unique, original, unusual, novel, modern, current, recent

Old - feeble, frail, ancient, weak, aged, used, worn, dilapidated, ragged, faded, broken-down, former,
old-fashioned, outmoded, passe, veteran, mature, venerable, primitive, traditional, archaic,
conventional, customary, stale, musty, obsolete, extinct

Part - portion, share, piece, allotment, section, fraction, fragment

Place - space, area, spot, plot, region, location, situation, position, residence, dwelling, set, site,
station, status, state

Plan - plot, scheme, design, draw, map, diagram, procedure, arrangement, intention, device,
contrivance, method, way, blueprint

Popular - well-liked, approved, accepted, favorite, celebrated, common, current

Predicament - quandary, dilemma, pickle, problem, plight, spot, scrape, jam

Put - place, set, attach, establish, assign, keep, save, set aside, effect, achieve, do, build

Quiet - silent, still, soundless, mute, tranquil, peaceful, calm, restful

Right - correct, accurate, factual, true, good, just, honest, upright, lawful, moral, proper, suitable, apt,
legal, fair

Run - race, speed, hurry, hasten, sprint, dash, rush, escape, elope, flee

Say/Tell - inform, notify, advise, relate, recount, narrate, explain, reveal, disclose, divulge, declare,
command, order, bid, enlighten, instruct, insist, teach, train, direct, issue, remark, converse, speak,
affirm, suppose, utter, express, verbalize, voice, articulate, pronounce, deliver, convey, impart, assert,
state, allege, mutter, mumble, whisper, sigh, exclaim, yell, sing, yelp, snarl, hiss, grunt, snort, roar,
bellow, thunder, boom, scream, shriek, screech, squawk, whine, philosophize, stammer, stutter, lisp,
drawl, jabber, protest, announce, swear, vow, content, assure, deny, dispute

Scared - afraid, frightened, alarmed, terrified, panicked, fearful, unnerved, insecure, timid, shy,
skittish, jumpy, disquieted, worried, vexed, troubled, disturbed, horrified, terrorized, shocked, petrified,
haunted, timorous, shrinking, tremulous, stupefied, paralyzed, stunned, apprehensive

Show - display, exhibit, present, note, point to, indicate, explain, reveal, prove, demonstrate, expose

Slow - unhurried, gradual, leisurely, late, behind, tedious, slack

Stop - cease, halt, stay, pause, discontinue, conclude, end, finish, quit

Story - tale, myth, legend, fable, yarn, account, narrative, chronicle, epic, anecdote, record, memoir

Strange - odd, peculiar, unusual, unfamiliar, uncommon, queer, weird, outlandish, curious, unique,
exclusive, irregular

Take - hold, catch, seize, grasp, win, capture, acquire, pick, choose, select, prefer, remove, steal, lift,
rob, engage, bewitch, purchase, buy, retract, recall, assume, occupy, consume

Tell - disclose, reveal, show, expose, uncover, relate, narrate, inform, advise, explain, divulge,
declare, command, order, bid, recount, repeat

Think - judge, deem, assume, believe, consider, contemplate, reflect, mediate

Trouble - distress, anguish, anxiety, worry, wretchedness, pain, danger, peril, disaster, grief,
misfortune, difficulty, concern, pains, inconvenience, exertion, effort

True - accurate, right, proper, precise, exact, valid, genuine, real, actual, trusty, steady, loyal,
dependable, sincere, staunch

Ugly - hideous, frightful, frightening, shocking, horrible, unpleasant, monstrous, terrifying, gross,
grisly, ghastly, horrid, unsightly, plain, homely, evil, repulsive, repugnant, gruesome

Unhappy - miserable, uncomfortable, wretched, heart-broken, unfortunate, poor, downhearted,

sorrowful, depressed, dejected, melancholy, glum, gloomy, dismal, discouraged, sad

Use - employ, utilize, exhaust, spend, expend, consume, exercise

Wrong - incorrect, inaccurate, mistaken, erroneous, improper, unsuitable