Please note the difference:

HOMOPHONES are words that sound the same but have different meanings, eg:

• wait (the verb) and weight (how heavy something is)

HOMONYMS are a kind of homophone words that are written and said the same way but have different meanings.

Examples of HOMONYMS are:

• club            – somewhere to dance and . . .
• club            – large, heavy object that people get hit with.
• rock           – a type of music and . . .
• rock            – made of stone.

HOMOGRAPHS are words that are written the same way, but pronounced differently.

Examples of HOMOGRAPHS include:

• to wind a clock but blowing wind.
• rose, the flower and rose, past tense of the verb to rise.
• book is something we read and book is to schedule something.

To help you improve spelling skills for each word listed below, I have included the most homophone common meanings focusing on:

• part of speech (sometimes)
• a very brief definition
• a sentence to test your understanding of the homophone word/s.

Please note that the following scenarios are the most commonly used cases; but as is quite common in our language, there are always exceptions!

  1. which/witch/wich

• Use which as a pronoun when referring to things or animals.
• Use witch to mean a scary or nasty person.
• Wich is to do with minerals, salt works; a salt producing town.

Using the correct use of which/witch/wich, fill in the sentences:

1. Tad wore his favorite brown shoes, . . . he received as a birthday gift.
2. The Halloween . . . decorations must finally come down off of the wall!

2. principle/principal

• Use principle as a noun meaning a basic truth or law.
• Use principal as a noun meaning the head of a school or organization, or a sum of money.

 Using the correct use of principle/principal, fill in the sentences:

1. Many important life . . . are learned in kindergarten.
2. The . . . is a well-respected member of the community.

3. stationary/stationery

• Stationary means unmoving.
• Stationery refers to writing materials, eg: pens, books, pencils, etc

Using the correct use of stationary/stationery, fill in the sentences:

1. The revolving door remained . . . because Shona was pushing on it the wrong way.
2. Tad printed his résumé on his best . . . .

4. rain/reign/rein

• rain (n.) precipitation; (v.) drizzle, shower.
• reign (n.) time in power; (v.) to rule.
• rein (n.) a strap to control an animal.

 Using the correct use of rain/reign/rein, fill in the sentences:

1. The . . . poured down all day.
2. The king’s . . . was very brief.
3. Pull on the . . . when you want the horse to stop.

5. stair/stare

• stair (n.) step.
• stare (v.) to look intently in one place.

Using the correct use of stair/stare, fill in the sentences:

1. The bottom . . . is broken, so please be careful when you go down.
2. I couldn’t help but . . . at the man as he came down to us.

6. main/mane

• main (adj.) most important.
• mane (n.) long hair on the neck of an animal.

 Using the correct use of main/mane, fill in the sentences:

1. The speaker’s . . . point was that we can all fight poverty.
2. The little girl hung on to the horse’s . . . when it started galloping.

7. stake/steak

• stake (n.) a thin pointed stick or post that is driven into the ground; mark off.
• steak (n.) a piece of meat or fish.

 Using the correct use of stake/steak, fill in the sentences:

1. Since we were missing a . . . , we couldn’t finish putting up the tent.
2. He ordered a sirloin . . . and baked potato.

8. steal/steel

• steal (v.) to take something without permission.
• steel (n.) a strong metal made of iron and carbon.

 Using the correct use of steal/steel, fill in the sentences:

1. It is not good to . . . money from anyone.
2. Many buildings are constructed with . . . frames.

 9. imminent/eminent/immanent

• imminent is something likely to happen.
• Eminent can refer to a person of high rank or repute or anything that noticeably pokes out like “an eminent nose.”
• immanent is an inherent or inborn; ingrained, built-in.

 Using the correct use of imminent/eminent/immanent, fill in the sentences:

1. The rainy season is . . .
2. Kofi Annan was an . . . person in resolving many conflicts.
3. The protection of human rights is . . . to many governments around the world.

10. exercise/exorcise

• Exercise is a physical activity; to do physical activity.
• Exorcise is to drive out an evil spirit

 Using the correct use of exercise/exorcise, fill in the sentences:

1. They . . . the troublesome spirit.
2. Ted took the . . . seriously.

11. insolate/insulate

• Insolate refers to an exposure to the sun’s rays.
• Insulate involves using various materials to prevent the leakage of heat.
• NOTICE: Insolate to get warm and insulate to stay warm!

Using the correct use of insolate/insulate, fill in the sentences:

1. The . . . paper may turn red when exposed to the sun.
2. We always . . . and draught proof our caravan before winter begins.

 12. tortuous/torturous

• tortuous comes from the Latin tortu meaning full of twists and turns.
• torturous pertaining to the cause or experience of extreme pain.

 Using the correct use of tortuous/torture, fill in the sentences:

1. Peal found the route remote and . . . .
2. We had a . . . five days of boot camp.

13. foreword/forward

• Foreword is an introduction to a book.
• Forward is onwards, ahead.

 Using the correct use of foreword/forward, fill in the sentences:

1. Dr Giddings gave a . . to my book.
2. It’s will be raining next week, so the baseball game will be moved . . .

14. flaunt/flout

• Flaunt is to display ostentatiously; show off.
• Flout is to disregard a rule.

 Using the correct use of flaunt/flout, fill in the sentences:

1. 1. The young man constantly . . . his riches.
   2. The advertising code is being openly . . ..

15. flounder/founder

• Flounder is to move clumsily; to have difficulty doing something.
• Founder is to fail; a person who establishes.

Using the correct use of flounder/founder, fill in the sentences:

1. The soldiers . . .  about in the mud.
2. He is the . . . of a popular website.

So, how did you fair?

ANSWERS: #1. a) which b) witch #2. a) principles b) principal #3. a) stationary   b) stationery #4. a) rain b) reign c) reins; #5 a) stair b) stare; #6 a) main b) mane; #7 a)stake b) steak #8 a) steal b) steel #9 a) imminent   b) eminent c) immament  #10 a) exorcise b) exercise  #11 a) insolate(d) b) insulate  #12 a) tortuous  b) torturous  #13 a) foreword b) forward   #14 a) flaunted  b) flouted  #15 a) floundered b) founder

ALWAYS make it a habit to edit your work to avoid committing the HOMOPHONES mistakes.

As of old: Be EMPOWERED and EXCEL!!