English Homophones

English (especially British English) is not spelt phonetically. Two words can share none, any or all of Spelling, Pronunciation and Meaning. All languages have synonyms (words with unrelated spelling and pronunciation but the same meaning) and words with multiple meanings. However English has an exceptional disparity between spelling and pronunciation.

The possible combinations or some but all characteristics being the same are as follows:-

Spelling Pronunciation Meaning Classification Example

Same Different Different Homonym refuse

Different Same Different Homophone See below

Same Same Different Multiple meanings trap

Different Different Same Synonym rare/uncommon

Same Different Same Alternative pronuncation Schedule (British/American pronuncation)

Different Same Same Alternative spelling jail/gaol

Spelling	Pronunciation	Meaning	Classification	Example
Same	Different	Different	Homonym	refuse
Different	Same	Different	Homophone	See below
Same	Same	Different	Multiple meanings	trap
Different	Different	Same	Synonym	rare/uncommon
Same	Different	Same	Alternative pronuncation	Schedule (British/American pronuncation)
Different	Same	Same	Alternative spelling	jail/gaol

This page is about homophones. Words with different meanings and spellings, but the same (UK) pronunciation.

My collection

With the generous help of various contributors, I have now collected 441 homophones. This is 396 pairs, 40 triples and 5 quadruples. That is 546 pairs of homophone words.

Near misses

These are word pairs that have been suggested but rejection, for one of the following reasons:-

Not precisely the same pronunciation. I only reject on this grounds, if my dictionary gives different pronunciation (or is unclear) and I think there is a difference, or am not sure how one of the words in pronounced.
- accept, except
- acetic, ascetic
- advice, advise
- affect, effect
- axe, acts
- axle, axil
- deal, dele
- caret, carrot
- close, clothes
- cask, casque
- deuce, juice
- facts, fax
- formerly, formally
- halve, have
- hostel, hostile
- ion, iron
- jota, jotter
- liar, layer
- loch, lock
- mana, manna
- ordinance, ordnance
- paw/pore/pour, poor
- pecan, pekan
- picture, pitcher
- plaintiff, plaintive
- prince, prints
- presence, presents
- tense, tents
- wan, won
The two spellings have a meaning in common. Even if each spelling has distinct meanings, any common mean classifies them as alternative spellings rather than homophones. (American, or other non-British, spellings are ignored for this purpose.)
- ambiance, ambience
- assay, essay
- aught, ought
- cot, cote
- depositary, depository
- forbear, forebear
- forego, forgo
- gage, gauge
- gel, jell
- genet, jennet
- gibe, gybe
- gray, grey
- grill, grille
- groin, groyne
- gunnel, gunwale
- hippie, hippy
- main, maine
- prise, prize
- ray, re
- ton, tonne
It would be double counting. If two forms of two words are different homophones, then I only count a single example.
I list complement/compliment and hence don't list complementary/complimentary. I normally list the simplest form (singular rather than plural; present tense etc.) unless other form is a longer list.
e.g. I list holey/holy/wholly rather than hole/whole.
Proper nouns and associated adjectives are not allowed, notably a lot of nations, nationalities, and place names are pronounced the same as common nouns.
- Capitol, capital
- Crewe, crew
- Czech, check/cheque
- Chile, chilly/chilli
- Dane, deign
- Greece, grease
- Hungary, hungry
- Lapp, lap
- Nice, niece
- Pole, poll
- Rome, roam
- Sikh, seek
- Thai, tie
- Towcester, toaster
- Wales, whales
And many, many more.

Unsure

Alleged homophones that aren't in my dictionary. As such I am either uncertain of pronunciation, spelling or even existence of the word, so cannot include in the confirmed list.

Word	Homophone(s)	Comment
wether	weather, whether	I am told this is a type of sheep.
basinet	bassinet	?A musical instrument?
hele	heal,heal	?Song, from the German?
how'll	howl	Not really establisted enough to count
leider	leader	?Song, from the German?
lune	loon	The moon (if so fails as a proper noun)
meer	mere
rayed	raid
sice	syce
sorel	sorrel
velum	vellum
wyrd	weird

I would very much like to hear of any other example that I have missed. If you can think of one, please e-mail me. Many thanks to those who already have done so.