Words Similar Pronunciation (Confusing Words)

Word	Meaning
air	what we breathe
err	make a mistake
heir	one who inherits something
accept	to agree; to receive
except	but, with the exception of
find	discover
fined	penalized
brake	stop
break	separate into pieces
ascent (noun)	movement upward
assent	enthusiastic agreement; to agree
consent	agreement
ad	advertisement
add	to perform addition
ades	fruit drinks
aides	people who help; assistants
AIDS	acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
aids	helps, assists
adverse	unfortunate; strongly opposed
averse	having repugnance (refers to people)
advice (noun)	recommendation
advise (verb)	the act of giving a recommendation
affect	verb affect when you mean to influence rather than to cause.
effect	Use effect when you mean result.
ail	to be ill; to cause pain or distress
ale	malt beverage more bitter than beer
aisle	passageway
I'll	contraction for I will
Isle	a small island
all	entire, everything
awl	a tool
allowed	gave permission to
aloud	aid out loud; spoken
all ready	means all are ready
already	refers to time
all together	refers to a group; all of us or all of them together
altogether	entirely
altar	pedestal, usually religious
alter	to modify
allude	to refer indirectly
elude	avoid capture
illude	mislead
allusion	an indirect mention of something
illusion	false perception
ambiguous	to have more than one meaning
ambivalent	to have mixed feelings
amicable	friendly (refers to things, not people)
amiable	friendly (refers to people)
among	involves three or more
between	involves just two
amount	used for things not countable
number	used for things that can be counted
Word	Meaning
ant	a bug
aunt	the sister of a parent
ante	a bet placed before playing
auntie	affectionate term for a parent?s sister
anxious	to have anxiety or worry
eager	excited
any more	something additional or further
anymore	any longer, nowadays
appraise	to put a value on something
apprise	to notify
arc	arch, crescent, half moon
ark	a vessel or a refuge
assistance	help
assistants	people who help
assumption	an idea not based on evidence
presumption	an idea based on evidence
assure	to promise or say with confidence
ensure	to make sure something will/won't happen
insure	to issue an insurance policy
ate	past tense of eat
eight	the number after seven
aural	having to do with hearing
oral	having to do with the mouth
awed	in a state of amazement
odd	unusual; opposite of even when referring to numbers
bald	having no hair
bawled	cried
ball	a sphere
bawl	to cry or wail loudly
band	a group, sometimes a group of musicians
banned	forbidden

Word	Meaning
bare	naked, unconcealed, plain
bear	the animal
base	the bottom; vulgar
bass	low vocal or instrumental range
based	be dependent or supported
baste	to moisten; to criticize or lash out at
bases	headquarters
basis	foundation
Word	Meaning
be	to exist or live
bee	insect
beach	sandy area with water
beech	type of tree with smooth, gray bark
beau	boyfriend
bough	branch of a tree
bow	part of a set with arrows
bow	boat front, a male's form of curtsy
because vs. since	Because and since can be used almost interchangeably although because always indicates cause and effect and since is used for a relationship or time.
Been	form of be used with has or have
Bin	container
Bell	chime or alarm
Belle	beautiful or charming woman
Berth	a boat dock
Birth	being born
Better	of higher quality
Bettor	someone who places bets
Biannual	twice a year
Biennial	every two years
Semiannual	twice a year
Bite	to use one?s teeth to tear food
Byte	computer term for eight bits of information
Billed	charged a fee
Build	construct
blew	past tense of blow
blue	the color
bloc	a group united for a particular purpose
block	city street
boar	male pig
bore	someone or something not interesting
board	piece of wood
bored	uninterested
boarder	someone who pays for room and food
border	perimeter; boundary
bode	predict
bowed	bent
bold	daring
bowled	to have gone bowling
bolder	more daring
boulder	a large rock
boos	sounds made by disapproving audience
booze	alcohol
boy	male child
buoy	a naval beacon or marker
bread	a food
bred	past tense of breed
brewed	fermented
brood	mull over
brews	ferments
bruise	a black-and-blue mark
bridal	relating to brides
bridle	a harness
bring	you bring something towards
take	you take something away
broach	to raise a topic
brooch	a bauble
brows	the hairs in the arch above the eyes
browse	search for, peruse
but	except
butt	bottom; joke object; to ram
buy	purchase, acquire
by	near, next to
bye	short for goodbye
cache	hidden stash
cash	money
calendar	chart of days and months
colander	sieve to drain off liquids
can	able to
may	permission to
cannon	large, mounted gun
canon	rule, commandment
carat	unit of weight in gemstones
caret	a proofreading mark to show insertion
carrot	edible root
karat	a unit for measuring the fineness of gold
cast	group of actors; to throw
caste	a social class, a rigid system of social distinctions
cay	a small, low island
key	a small, low island;
quay	wharf, dock, pier
cede	to surrender
seed	reproductive germ
cell	prison room; basic structural unit of an organism
sell	to exchange for money
censor	disallow; person who disallows
censure	to disapprove of; criticize strongly
sensor	a device that measures heat, light, etc.
cent	a penny
scent	a smell, aroma
sent	transmitted
cereal	breakfast food
serial	a series or array
chance	accident
chants	chorus, melody
chased	went after
chaste	pure, virginal
chews	how one eats food with teeth
choose	to pick
childish	immature
childlike	innocent
Chile	a country in South America
Chili	a type of pepper; a dish with peppers in it
Chilly	cold, brisk
Choral	having to do with a chorus or a choir
Chorale	a hymn; a group of singers specializing in church music
Coral	material that makes up reefs; orange color
Corral	a horse pen; to confine
chord	three or more musical tones sounded simultaneously
cord	a rope or strand of flexible material
cored	removed the center of something
chute	an inclined shaft
shoot	to discharge from a weapon; a stem
cite	to assert; to quote from; to subpoena
sight	vision, the power to see
site	a location or position
classic	important; fundamental
classical	having to do with Greek or Roman antiquity
clause	in grammar, a group of words containing a subject and verb
claws	a contract
click	a sound
clique	a group
climactic	having to do with the climax
climatic	having to do with the climate
close	to shut
clothes	apparel
coarse	rough, lacking in fineness of texture
course	a class; a path
colonel	an officer in the military
kernel	a seed
complement	completing part of an order
compliment	praise
confidant	someone confided in
confident	certain, sure
connote	to suggest, imply
denote	to be a sign of
core	center or crucial part
corps	trained group
corpse	dead body
cosign	to sign along with
cosine	a trigonometry term
council	a group of people meeting for a purpose
counsel	advise; advice, an attorney
creak	a sound
creek	a stream
crews	many groups
cruise	a trip or vacation by sea
criteria	plural of criterion
criterion	a standard for evaluating or testing something
cue	a hint; a stimulus
queue	a line of people waiting
currant	type of small berry
current	up to date
curser	someone who swears or wishes misfortune on another
cursor	a blinking symbol indicating position on a computer screen
dam	a barrier obstructing the flow of liquid
damn	a swear word or curse
dammed	blocked from flowing
damned	doomed
days	twenty-four-hour periods of time
daze	to stun or overwhelm
dear	affectionate term
deer	the animal
desert	a desolate area; to abandon
dessert	extra s for sugary treat
desperate	lost all hope, in despair
disparate	entirely dissimilar
dew	condensation in the morning
do	to take action
due	owed by a certain date
die	to cease to live; the singular of dice
dye	to stain or color using an agent
discreet	careful, confidential
discrete	individual, distinct
discussed	talked over
disgust	repulsion
does	female deer
does	a form of to do
doughs	unbaked loaves of bread
doze	to sleep
dual	two-fold
duel	fight
elicit	evoke, extract, draw out
illicit	illegal
elusive	difficult to describe, evasive
illusive	plausible or possible; deceptive
emigrate	to exit one country in order to live in another country
immigrate	to enter a new country to live
empathy	understand another's feelings
sympathy	to feel compassion or sadness for another
epic	saga
epoch	a period of time, an age
every day	each day
everyday	ordinary
facts	objective data
fax	short for facsimile; technology that sends images by phone
faint	to go unconscious
feint	pretense fair (adjective, noun) impartial; an exhibition fare payment or expense for travel fairy imaginary being possessing magical powers ferry type of boat farther refers to physical distance only further to a greater extent faux fake, imitation foe enemy, opponent faze to perturb or fluster phase a period or situation feat an extraordinary act or accomplishment feet twelve-inch increments; appendages at end of legs feted "celebrated, honored noxious, gross " fetid fir type of tree fur hairy coat of an animal flair style flare erupt flea insect flee to run away flew past tense of fly, to have moved through the air with wings flu a virus flue part of a chimney floe sheet of floating ice flow pour, proceed, spew flour grain flower the bloom of a plant for preposition fore ahead four the number after three forego to go in front of, precede forgo to do without foreword introduction to a book written by someone other than the forward opposite of backward fort a military fortification forte someone?s strong point, talent forth forward fourth number after third foul offensive, disgusting fowl certain birds frees releases freeze to make cold frieze a decorative band on the wall gait a manner of walking or stepping, stride gate barrier gilt gold-covered guilt blame gored stabbed with a horn or tusk gourd hard-shelled fruit gorilla largest of the apes guerrilla soldier using surprise raids; irregular tactics graft attach; acquisition of money dishonestly graphed diagrammed grate a cover or partition of parallel or crossed bars great excellent grill method of cooking; barbecuing grille an openwork barrier for a gate groan a low, mournful sound of pain or grief grown to have increased in size guessed conjectured, offered an opinion guest company, honoree guise appearance or assumed appearance guys men hair what grows on one?s head and body hare rabbit hall passageway or large room haul to pull, drag, or lower halve divide into two have to possess hangar shed or shelter for housing airplanes hanger something to hang a garment on in the closet haut/haute high-class, fancy as in haute couture hoe flat-bladed gardening tool hay dried grass hey interjection used to call attention heal to alleviate or cure heel back part of the foot; scoundrel hear to listen here in this spot heard listened herd a flock of animals heroin a narcotic derived from morphine heroine female admired for courage or ability hi a greeting, informal for hello high elevated higher more elevated hire to pay for services him pronoun referring to male person or animal hymn song in praise of religious deity hoard stockpile, amass horde a large group, crowd hoarse cracked voice horse animal hoes flat-bladed gardening tools hose a flexible tube for conveying liquid hole an opening whole entire, complete holy religious wholly entirely, completely hostel boarding house or inexpensive lodging hostile antagonistic hour sixty minutes our possessive pronoun idle not active; unemployed idol someone admired idyll or idyl interlude, breathing space; romance, fairy tale imply to indicate without being explicit infer to conclude from evidence in preposition; inside inn small hotel inc. abbreviation for incorporated ink fluid in pens incredible to be without guilt innocents people who are without guilt knew past tense of know, to have understood new opposite of old knight a soldier in the Middle Ages night period between sunset and sunrise knot interlacing of cord or rope not used to express negation know understand, comprehend no a negative to express dissent knows understands nose part of the body one smells with lacks is deficient in lax slack, easy-going ladder the thing with rungs that you climb latter the second of two lain past participle of lie as in lie down lane narrow road or passage Lead a metal element led guided, past tense of to lead leak unintended discharge of liquid or gas leek type of onion lean to incline lien a claim on property to secure debt payment leased rented least smallest in size or amount lessen to make less lesson a unit to be learned or studied lie a falsehood; present tense of lie down lye a caustic substance lightening to make lighter lightning a brilliant electric spark in the sky loan something lent for temporary use lone only, solitary loose opposite of tightV lose opposite of win; misplace Mach ratio with the speed of sound mock artificial; ridicule made created maid cleaning lady mail correspondence male masculine; opposite of female main primary, chief, leading mane long hair on the back of a horse or lion maize corn maze labyrinth mall plaza, focal point maul abuse, claw manner behavior manor palatial residence marquee canopy, shelter; projection over a theater entrance marquis aristocrat, nobleman marry to wed merry cheerful marshal assemble; a judge martial militant, aggressive meat animal flesh used for food meet (verb, noun) to connect, touch; an event mete administer, allot medal decoration, badge meddle to interfere unwontedly metal earth element mettle boldness mind (noun, verb) intelligence; obey mined excavated to extract ores miner one who excavates to extract ores minor someone under legal age; small missed failed to hit mist fog, fine spray moan lament; sound of suffering mown cut grass mode method, manner mowed to have cut grass mood an emotional state mooed the sound a cow made moose an animal mousse type of dessert morning start of the day, between night and afternoon mourning sorrow over someone's death muscle fibrous tissue mussel edible marine bivalve mustard yellow condiment mustered assembled, gathered naval pertaining to ships navel belly button, umbilicus none not one, not any nun female member of a religious order oar a blade for rowing or conjunction ore metal-bearing mineral or rock one single unit won past tense of win ordinance a law ordnance military weapons and ammunition overdo to do to excess overdue past due packed past tense of pack pact an agreement or treaty pail bucket pale lacking color pain physical or emotional suffering pane a plate of glass or panel pair two of something pare to remove or peel pear type of fruit palate roof of the mouth; taste pallet a low, portable platform palette a range of colors; a board to hold and mix colors passed past tense of pass past the time before the present patience willingness to wait patients people under medical care pause a temporary stop paws animal feet peace calm piece a portion of something peak top of a mountain peek glance furtively pique to wound someone's pride or to excite interest pealed rang bells peeled removed a layer pedal foot-operated lever peddle to sell, hawk, or dispense peer person who is an equal pier a structure extending out over water perpetrate to commit, as in a crime perpetuate to prolong or sustain pi 3.1416, the ratio of the circumference of a circle pie baked food filled with fruit or meat pistil female organ of a flower pistol type of gun plain not fancy; evident; simple; treeless area of land plane a flat or level surface; short for airplane pleas cries for help; appeals please a polite word; to satisfy plum a type of fruit plumb perpendicular pole a long, cylindrical piece of wood or metal poll a collection of opinions; survey pore small hole pour to send liquid flowing praise express approval prays makes requests to God preys hunts for food; victimizes precedence priority precedents examples, criteria presidents chief executives presence appearance, being present presents (noun, verb) gifts; offers pries looks closely; wedges open prize award or reward principal head of school; chief; of first importance principle fundamental belief profit gain prophet predictor, seer pros professionals, experts prose literature quarts units of liquid measure (four quarts to a gallon) quartz a mineral rain water that falls in drops from the sky reign rule, administration rein bit, harness raise lift up raze flatten, tear down completely rap (noun, verb) a type of music; to strike sharply wrap to enclose in a covering rapped struck sharply fascinated rapt enclosed in a covering wrapped read present and past tenses of to comprehend writing red a color real actual, authentic reel stumble, falter recede to move back, withdraw reseed to seed again reek to smell bad wreak to cause trouble wreak havoc rest relax wrest take from retch vomit wretch lowly being, scoundrel review survey revue a satirical show right correct; opposite of left rite ritual, ceremony write to compose letters or words ring sound of a bell; jewelry worn around a finger wring to twist road street, path, highway rode past tense of ride rowed past tense of row roe fish eggs row aisle role part in a play or film roll a bun; to rotate roomer one who rents a room rumor innuendo, gossip root base of a plant rout defeat route path rot decay, decompose wrought accomplished rote by memory, formula wrote past tense of write rude impolite, unmannerly rued regretted, repented rye seed from a grain wry mocking, ironic, droll sacks large bags sax saxophone saver one who saves savor to appreciate a taste scene a view, a setting seen to have viewed with eyes sea a body of salt water see to view with eyes seam line formed by pieces of fabric sewn together seem appear sear scorch, burn, or char seer one who sees (as in the future) sere withered, dry seas bodies of salt water sees views with eyes seize to grab hold of serf slave surf breaking waves; to ride a surfboard set one sets a thing sit one sits oneself sew to stitch so in the manner indicated sow to scatter or plant seed sewer a conduit for carrying off waste suer one who sues shear to cut sheer transparent shoe foot attire shoo interjection used to scare away an animal sic a Latin term used to indicate that something written is intentionally sick ill sics attacks six a number sign an indication sine a trigonometry term sink to submerge; where you wash utensils synch or sync to synchronize, to coincide or match up slay kill sleigh snow vehicle, sled sleight cunning, skill slight slender, of little substance slew past tense of slay slough swamp soar to fly at great height sore in pain soared flew at great height sword a bladed weapon sole bottom of foot; lone soul the spiritual part of humans some a certain unspecified number sum the total from adding numbers son male offspring sun star that is the central body of the solar system sonny diminutive of son sunny lit or warmed by the sun; cheerful spade digging tool spayed to have removed the ovaries of an animal staid solemn, serious stayed remained, waited stair step stare to look without blinking stake a pole steak cut of meat stationary in one place stationery writing paper steal rob steel iron alloy; determined step (verb, noun) moving by lifting the foot; degree steppe vast grasslands stile turnstile, passageway style fashion straight not curved or bent strait narrow passage of water connecting two bodies of water succor relief, assistance sucker fool suede leather finished with a soft, napped surface swayed past tense of sway; persuaded suite a connected series of rooms sweet opposite of sour summary an abstract or brief account summery of the summer sundae ice cream with syrup Sunday day of the week tacks short nails tax percent of earnings paid to the government tail hindmost animal appendage tale story tare allowance for the weight of packaging tear (verb) rip, pull apart tear (noun) salt water coming from eyes when sad tier row or layer taught past tense of teach taut tightly stretched tea a beverage tee a peg from which a golf ball is hit team group playing on the same side in a game teem swarm tense nervous strain tents portable shelters used for camping than used for comparison then indicates time, answers when their possessive pronoun there location they're contraction for they are threw past tense of throw through in one end and out the other throes agonizing struggles throws tosses, hurls throne royal seat or office thrown was tossed thyme herb of the mint family time past, present, future sequences of events ticks parasites; sounds of a clock tics facial twitches tide ebb and flow of the ocean tied past tense of tie to in the direction of, toward; used with the infinitive form of verbs too also, to an extensive degree two the number after one toad similar to a frog toed having a toe towed pulled, hauled told said tolled sounded a bell tort a breach of contract torte a rich cake made with little or no flour tracked followed tract an extended area of land; a political or religious pamphlet troop a body of soldiers troupe a group of traveling performers vain excessively concerned about one's appearance vane a blade moved by wind as in weather vane vein blood vessel vary to change or alter very extremely verses lines of poetry versus as compared to another choice; against vial small container for holding liquids vile repulsive, depraved vice bad habit; immoral practice vise device used to hold an object firmly wade to walk through water weighed to have put on a scale wail mournful cry whale marine mammal waist narrowest part of the human torso (usually) waste to squander or spend uselessly wait to be available or ready weight quantity of heaviness or mass waiver a relinquishment of some right waver to feel indecisive; vary warn to notify worn carried on the body; deteriorated warrantee person who is given a written guarantee warranty written guarantee way direction weigh to measure mass weak lacking strength week seven days starting with Sunday wear to carry on the body where in what place? weather state of the atmosphere in a location whether if weave to interlace thread or yarn to make a fabric we've contraction for we have were past tense of are we're contraction for we are wheeled moved on wheels wield to exercise power; to handle a weapon effectively which what one? witch sorceress while during or in the time that wile a trick to fool, trap, or entice whine complaining cry wine fermented grape juice that becomes an alcoholic beverage whined past tense of whine, complained wind air current wined to supply with wine whirled spun rapidly world planet Earth whorled shaped like a coil who's contraction for who is whose possessive case of who wont (adjective, noun) accustomed; habit won't contraction for will not wood tree trunk material would expressing an intention yoke harness for oxen yolk yellow center of an egg yore long past you're contraction for you are your possessive pronoun