Commonly Confused Words

Homonyms: A word that is spelled the same,

sound the same but means different things.
Examples:
 Bank (1. river bank 2. bank account)
Usage - I went to open my bank account in the branch of State
Bank of India near the bank of river Ganges.

 Fine (1. to pay a monetary penalty 2. superior quality or skill)

Usage- 1. You will have to pay fine for your absence.
2. This is a fine shot to win the match.

 Proof (1. an evidence, 2.printed copy for rectification)

Usage- 1.The detective got a proof of culprit’s identity.
 Light (1. sunlight, 2. light as a feather)

Usage- 1. The light was filtered through a soft glass window.

2. Magnesium is a light metal--having a specific gravity of 1.74 at 20
degrees C“

 Tip (1. pencil tip, 2. a gratuity)

Usage- 1.The pencil tip is broken.
2.He gave Rs.50 as a tip to the waiter.

 Present (1. a gift, 2.current time)

Usage- 1. I got a present on my birthday.
2. The present century is about speed
 Tire 1. Car wheel (American usage),
2. fatigue
Usage- 1.The rear tires of the car are damaged.
2.This exercise is very tiring.
 Saw 1. cutting tool
2. to see
Usage- 1.The woodcutter bought a power saw.
2.I saw him in the fair yesterday.

 Fair (1. a village fair, 2. quite good)

Usage- 1.The child was lost in village fair.
2.He is fair in his actions.
Pick the odd one out
1. Bullet
a) metal shot from gun b) a bullet point
c) A motorcycle brand d) Killing a person
2. Post
a) Letters and parcels b) a job in a company
c) a vertical pole d) To inspect vehicles
3. Faculty
a) a group of departments b) ability to do
c) people who teach in a department
d) head of business or trade
 Focus on red colored word, is it best fitting?
4.This question is beyond my horizon. (Y/N)

5. He was mentally absent but physically present. (Y/N)

6.They crop the snaps in their mobile phones and upload.

(Y/N)

7.He went to site seeing in Shimla.(Y/N)

8. The roof has a very stoop pitch. (Y/N)

9. The toilet bowl was cracked. (Y/N)

 Answers
1.D 8. Y
2.D 9.Y
3. C
4.Y
5.Y
6.Y
7.N
 Homophones
Homophone : A word that is spelled differently, sound
the same, and mean different things.
Examples
 To - too- two
Usage -I went too far to get two cones of ice-cream.
 Hair - hare- here
Usage - The white haired hare was running here and
there.
 Homophones
EXAMPLES THERE : THEIR : THEY’RE
 There : a place
Usage - It is over there. There are two bikes.

 Their : Possessive form of they

Usage - Their bikes are black.

 They’re : means they are (shortened form)

Usage -They’re going home on their bikes.
Some more examples of the Homophones

 Cents : She has only fifty cents.

 Sense : He does not have common sense.

 Hole : They dug a hole in the ground.

 Whole : I can’t believe I ate the whole thing.

 Assent: They assent to go further. (agree)

 Ascent: There is steep ascent ahead. (rise)
 Pick the correct homophones
1. Her little sister was just (to/too/two) slow on a bike.

2. We had lunch over at (they’re/their/there) house.

3. (There/their/they’re) grandmother lived over

4.The new jet streaked (threw/through) the clouds.

5. Painter painted the (hole/whole) room in just five
hours but dentist could not fill up the (hole/whole)
.
6. If you had any (cents/sense),you would come to
know that it costs more (cents/sense).

7. All of them (ascent/assent) to climb up the

mountain tomorrow.

8. Please speak loudly or come (here/hear).

 Answers
1.too
2.their
3.Their, there
4.Through
5.whole, hole
6.sense,cents
7.assent
8.here
 Commonly confused homophone
Examples
 Affect (to influence or to  its (possessive form of
change) it)
 Effect (result)
 it’s (contraction of it is
or it has)
Usage- 1.Changing the way
you eat will affect your
health. Usage- 1. Its mine.

2. I can’t see what effect 2. It’s nothing to do with

these new laws will have it.
on me.
 Than (a comparison)  Accept (a verb, to
 Then (refers to a time receive or to admit )
in the past)  Except (usually a
preposition, means but or
only)
Usage- 1. He is younger  Usage- 1.My insurance will
than him. accept the charges for the
accident.
2. He went there
then he learnt about 2.I like all
vegetables, except for
the accident. brinjals
 Homophones: Usage in sentences
 Ensure: He wants to .  Grate: I need to grate
ensure he will pass. some cheese to put on
the pizza.

 insure: She will insure  Great: If it has enough

her new car. cheese, it will be a great
pizza!
Altar: sacred platform or place
Alter: to change
Usage- Elicit answers from students

Allusion: indirect reference

Illusion: false idea, misleading appearance
Usage- Elicit answers from students
 Match the Homophones

Bazaar whether
Lessen Place
Lose mail
Weather bizarre
Male stationary
Peace lesson
Passed loose
Stationery piece
Plays past
 Answers
Bazaar bizarre
Lessen lesson
Lose loose
Weather whether
Male mail
Peace piece
Passed past
Stationery stationary
Plays place
 Examples
Altogether: thoroughly
all together: everyone/everything in one
place
Usage- Elicit answers from students

Angel: supernatural being, good person

Angle: shape made by joining 2 straight lines
Usage- Elicit answers from students
 Examples
Stationary: static
Stationery: things needed for writing
Usage- Elicit answers from students

Advice: recommendation (noun)

Advise: to recommend (verb)
Usage- Elicit answers from students
 Pick the incorrect pair of homophones

1. Assistance: help :: Assistants: helpers

2. Are: plural form of “to be“ ::Our plural form of "my“

3. bare: nude :: bear: to carry

4. beside: close to; next ::besides: in addition

5. canvas: survey ::canvass : heavy cloth

6. complement: something that completes ::

compliment : praise, flattery
 Answer
Option No. 5 is incorrect
5. canvas: survey ::canvass : heavy cloth

Correct Answer
5. canvas: heavy cloth ::canvass : survey
 RECAP
TERM MEANING SOUND SPELLINGS

HOMONYMS DIFFERENT SAME SAME

HOMOPHONES DIFFERENT SAME DIFFERENT

 EXERCISE
Which of the following pair is not a
homophone?

a) Hear ….hair b) wait ……weight

c)bazaar ……….bizarre d) pale …..pail
 Answer
• A) Hear and hair are not rhyming sounds
• Like hare and hair
• Here and hear
Choose the correct one:
1. Jenny has a juicy ………….. for lunch.
a) Pair b) Pear c) pare

2. The computers are on …………. for half price.

a) Sale b) sail

3. The gum cost one …………

a) Sent b) cent c) scent

4. Mrs. Gerrell is the ……………of our school.

a) Principle b) Principal
5. The dog chased the …………. in the field.
a) Hair b) heir c) hare

6. The boat has a white ………..

a) Sale b) sail

7. Pick the correct pair of homophones

a) Mist……missed b)cents ….. sense
c) heir ….. air d) All are correct

8. The high school _____________ wanted to know who the

______________ investigator was on the grant.
a) Principle …. Principal b) Principal ……Principle
c) Principle …..Principle d) Principal …Principal
9. __________ were four independent corrections to
the data to bring it in line with___________ previous
results.
a)Their ….there b) there …..there
c) their ….their d) there …..their

10. It was the bottom of the 9th inning, when the

pitcher _____________ his best pitch of the night.
a) Through b) threw
 Answers
1. b 8. b
2. a 9. d
3. b 10. b
4. b
5. c
6.b
7.d
 Some more …
1. The __________impacts the conclusions of the test.
However, the source of noise does not _______the
measurement.
a) affect …. Effect b) affect …. Affect
c) effect ….. affect d) effect ……..effect

2. We sought ______ from the members of the _______.

a) counsel…….council b) council……. counsel
c) counsel …….counsel d) council ……. council
3. We ___________ to conduct an independent survey where
respondents could ___________ the correct answer from a list of
ten options.
a) choose ……chose b) choose ……choose
c) chose ………chose d) chose ……..choose

4. Do you think it is going to …………….this afternoon

a) Rein b) Rain c) Reign

5. David’s brother is in a …………. which plays Russian music.

a) Band b) banned
6. Juana wants her socks because her ……….. are cold.
a) Tows b) toes
7……………….. be here in a few minutes.
a) He’ll b) Heel c) Heal
8. I don’t want to talk about the ………….. anymore.
a) passed b) past
9. Hadil has a …………. in her shoulder.
a) Pane b) pain
10. Alec is going to his …………… house today.
a) Wear b) ware
11. Please try not to …………………. paper.
a) Waist b) waste
 Answers
1. c 8.b
2.a 9.b
3. d 10.b
4.b 11. b
5.a
6.b
7.a