"Right" and "write" have the same pronunciation but mean different things - these are known as homophones. There are more homophones in the English language than you can shake a stick at!
Homophones are two or more words which sound the same but have different meanings; they may or may not be spelled differently. A pair of "homonyms" are spelled and pronounced the same, but have different meanings. All homonyms are also homophones.
Here are some pairs with which you might be familiar: stair/stare; pear/pair; tale/tail; aisle/isle; flour/flower; mousse/moose; jeans/genes; toad/towed. Can you see the potential for humour? Lots of jokes are based on homophones and sometimes poetry draws on the associations a word has with its homophone. Christmas cracker jokes are famous for their homophones, such as this one: What does Santa say while gardening? Hoe, hoe, hoe..........
Try our first quiz on words that are often confused with each other.
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1.
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Which word means "the main one"? |
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| [ ] |
Princedom |
| [ ] |
Principal |
| [ ] |
Principality |
| [ ] |
Principle |
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2.
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Which word means "to remain still"? |
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| [ ] |
Stationary |
| [ ] |
Stationed |
| [ ] |
Stationer |
| [ ] |
Stationery |
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3.
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Which word means "complete"? |
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| [ ] |
Complaisance |
| [ ] |
Complement |
| [ ] |
Compliance |
| [ ] |
Compliment |
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4.
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Which word asks for directions? |
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| [ ] |
Ware |
| [ ] |
Wear |
| [ ] |
Were |
| [ ] |
Where |
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5.
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Which word means "a courageous deed"? |
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| [ ] |
Fate |
| [ ] |
Feat |
| [ ] |
Feet |
| [ ] |
Fete |
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6.
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Which word means "belonging to them"? |
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Theirs |
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Thereby |
| [ ] |
There's |
| [ ] |
Thereto |
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7.
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Which word means "not to insist upon"? |
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| [ ] |
Waive |
| [ ] |
Wave |
| [ ] |
Waver |
| [ ] |
Wavy |
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8.
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Which word means "chimney"? |
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| [ ] |
Flew |
| [ ] |
Flu |
| [ ] |
Flue |
| [ ] |
Fluid |
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9.
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Which word means "from one end to the other"? |
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| [ ] |
Though |
| [ ] |
Threw |
| [ ] |
Through |
| [ ] |
Throw |
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10.
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Which word means "to avenge"? |
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| [ ] |
Rake |
| [ ] |
Reek |
| [ ] |
Wreak |
| [ ] |
Wreck |
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1.
|
Which word means "the main one"? |
|
| [ ] |
Princedom |
| [x] |
Principal |
| [ ] |
Principality |
| [ ] |
Principle |
|
|
|
2.
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Which word means "to remain still"? |
|
| [x] |
Stationary |
| [ ] |
Stationed |
| [ ] |
Stationer |
| [ ] |
Stationery |
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3.
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Which word means "complete"? |
|
| [ ] |
Complaisance |
| [x] |
Complement |
| [ ] |
Compliance |
| [ ] |
Compliment |
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4.
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Which word asks for directions? |
|
| [ ] |
Ware |
| [ ] |
Wear |
| [ ] |
Were |
| [x] |
Where |
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5.
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Which word means "a courageous deed"? |
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| [ ] |
Fate |
| [x] |
Feat |
| [ ] |
Feet |
| [ ] |
Fete |
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6.
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Which word means "belonging to them"? |
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| [x] |
Theirs |
| [ ] |
Thereby |
| [ ] |
There's |
| [ ] |
Thereto |
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7.
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Which word means "not to insist upon"? |
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| [x] |
Waive |
| [ ] |
Wave |
| [ ] |
Waver |
| [ ] |
Wavy |
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8.
|
Which word means "chimney"? |
|
| [ ] |
Flew |
| [ ] |
Flu |
| [x] |
Flue |
| [ ] |
Fluid |
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9.
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Which word means "from one end to the other"? |
|
| [ ] |
Though |
| [ ] |
Threw |
| [x] |
Through |
| [ ] |
Throw |
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10.
|
Which word means "to avenge"? |
|
| [ ] |
Rake |
| [ ] |
Reek |
| [x] |
Wreak |
| [ ] |
Wreck |
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