What is a homophone?
A homophone, as defined by the dictionary Merriam-Webster, is one of two or more words that sound the same when pronounced, but differ in meaning or spelling. For example, “ate” and “eight” or “by,” “buy,” and “bye.” Homophones that are spelled differently are also called heterographs.
Here are fifteen homophones that commonly cause confusion in American English:
ate = past tense of the verb to eat
eight = the number 8
bear = a large animal
bare = not covered
by = next to, near
buy = to purchase something
bye = shortened version of goodbye
cell = a small room, or a small part of an organism
sell = exchange something for money
dew = small drops of water
do = indicates an action
due = indicates a deadline
eye = a body part that sees
I = first person pronoun
flour = main ingredient in bread
flower = part of a plant
hear = action done with ears
here = indicates place
hour = a period of time; sixty minutes
our = possessive pronoun of we
you’re = you are
your = it belongs to you
they’re = they are
there = a place
their = it belongs to them
to = indicates motion
two = the number 2
too = also or excessively
we’re = we are
wier = a dam in a stream
weather = state of the atmosphere
whether = similar meaning to if
which = means what one, whichever, or that
witch = a person who practices witchcraft