Homophones are words that sound the same but have a different spelling and meaning: write and right, hear and here. You cannot tell them apart by ear. The meaning of the sentence, and the spelling you have learned, tell you which one to use. They cause many mistakes in writing.
20 sets to know
Press 🔊 to hear the sound. Every word in a row sounds the same.
| Sound | Words and meanings |
|---|---|
| /raɪt/ | right – correct; the opposite of left write – to put words on paper |
| /tuː/ | to – toward; before a verb too – also; more than needed two – the number 2 |
| /ðeə/ | there – in that place their – belonging to them they’re – they are |
| /hɪə/ | here – in this place hear – to notice a sound with your ears |
| /nəʊ/ | no – the opposite of yes know – to have information |
| /siː/ | see – to look at sea – the salt water |
| /sʌn/ | sun – the star that gives us light son – a male child |
| /wiːk/ | week – seven days weak – not strong |
| /weɪt/ | wait – to stay until something happens weight – how heavy something is |
| /weə/ | where – in which place wear – to have clothes on |
| /peə/ | pear – a fruit pair – two things together |
| /baɪ/ | buy – to pay for something by – near; made by bye – goodbye |
| /miːt/ | meet – to see someone meat – food from animals |
| /bluː/ | blue – a colour blew – past of blow |
| /wʌn/ | one – the number 1 won – past of win |
| /fɔː/ | four – the number 4 for – with the purpose of |
| /jɔː/ | your – belonging to you you’re – you are |
| /ɪts/ | its – belonging to it it’s – it is; it has |
| /həʊl/ | hole – an empty space whole – all of it |
| /breɪk/ | break – to damage; a rest brake – the part that stops a car |
Tricks that help
- here, there, where all talk about place, and all end in -ere.
- hear has an ear inside it: you hear with your ears.
- their shows who owns something. there shows a place. they’re is they are: the apostrophe replaces the missing a.
- your shows who owns something. you’re is you are.
- its (belonging to it) has no apostrophe, like his and hers. it’s is it is or it has.
- too has an extra o: it means more than needed or also.
Practice
The sound is the same, so use the meaning of the sentence.
Each box is one sound. Drag every word to the sound it has: they all sound the same inside a box, but they are spelled differently. On a phone, press and hold a word to drag it, or tap a word and then tap a box.
Words to sort: to, too, two, there, their, they’re, buy, by, bye. Three sounds: /tuː/ as in two; /ðeə/ as in there; /baɪ/ as in buy.
Write the missing word. The hint tells you the meaning. If you leave a line empty it is not marked.