Here are some examples of homophones with sample sentences.
HOMOPHONES EXAMPLES – This is one of the most fascinating topics about the English language, and here’s a guide to learn this.
What are the homophones? These are the words that have the same pronunciation, but have different spellings or meanings. Homophones can also differ quite a bit in spelling, such as carat and carrot, or there, their, and they’re. However, if the words share the same spelling, we call them homonyms. They are two words that look and sound the same.
While this topic is fun and fascinating to learn about, it is also one of those considered as culprits. They are sneaky because, as mentioned, they are the words that sound the same but carry completely different meanings, and often different spellings. However, despite the confusion and being tricky of these words, they are also the reasons why English is colorful, fun to learn, and sometimes, and even humorous.
Some of the most famous ones are:
- Their, There, They’re
| Their (possession) | There (location) | They’re (contraction of they are) |
| Their house is the biggest one on the street. | Please put your bag over there. | They’re going to watch a movie later. |
- To, Too, Two
| To (direction; used as a preposition or part of a verb) | Too (“also” or excessively) | Two (number 2) |
| Please give this letter to your teacher. I’m going to the market later. | Can I come with you too? The bag is too heavy for me to carry. | They ordered two large pizzas for dinner. |
Here are some more examples:
| Words | Definition | Example sentences |
| by vs. buy | By: Preposition indicating proximity, means, or agency Buy: To purchase something | This book was written by Jose Rizal. I want to buy a new phone. |
| affect vs. effect | Affect: To influence something Effect: A result or outcome | Lack of sleep can affect your concentration. The medicine had a positive effect on her health. |
| whether vs. weather | Whether: A conjunction indicating choice or possibility Weather: The atmospheric conditions at a particular time | I don’t know whether to stay home or go out. We can’t go swimming because of the bad weather. |
| brake vs. break | Brake: A device for slowing or stopping a vehicle Break: To separate into pieces or a pause | Don’t forget to check the car’s brake before traveling. She didn’t want to break his heart. |
| waist vs. waste | Waist: The part of the body between the ribs and hips Waste: To use carelessly or discard a material | The skirt is too tight at the waist. Don’t waste your time on negative people. |
| week vs. weak | Week: Seven days Weak: Lacking strength | She studies five times a week. He felt weak after being sick. |
| sea vs. see | Sea: A large body of salty water See: To use your eyes to notice or observe something | The sea looks calm today. I can see the stars clearly tonight. |
| flower vs. flour | Flower: The colorful, blooming part of a plant Flour: A powder made by grinding grains | The rose is my favorite flower. We need more flour to bake the cake. |
| bear vs. bare | Bear: A large, heavy mammal Bare: Without covering or exposed | We saw a bear in the forest. He walked on the beach with bare feet. |
| here vs. hear | Here: Refers to a place, location, or position Hear: To perceive sound with your ears. | Please come here and sit beside me. She didn’t hear what the teacher said. |