English for Specific Purposes
Wrld

4. Common homophones

Homophones are words which are pronounced in the same way but are spelt differently.

Here are some examples of homophones in English.

THERE / THEIR                        WAIST / WASTE                            ROAD / RODE

BEE / BE                                   SEW / SO                                        STARES / STAIRS

FOR /FOUR                              OUR / HOUR                                  WOOD / WOULD

AREN’T / AUNT                       WHERE / WEAR                            PIECE / PEACE

AIR / HEIR                                 RIGHT / WRITE                              SIGHT / SITE

WAIT / WEIGHT                        SCENE / SEEN                              FARE / FAIR

RAISE / RAYS                           STEAK / STAKE                            SALE / SAIL

FLU / FLEW                              HOARSE / HORSE                         RAIN / REIN

MIGHT / MITE                          GREAT / GRATE                           MOAN / MOWN

EXERCISES

Fill in the gaps using an appropriate word.

1. Watching TV is a ____________ of time.
2. The eldest son of the monarch is the __________ to the throne.
3. The question is to _____ or not to ______.
4. His girlfriend has a narrow ________.
5. Alfred Nobel was a ________ inventor.
6. _______ races are very popular in Britain.
7. You are English, _______ you?
8. If you ask me, he is good _____ nothing.
9. On the one hand, you _______ be right, but on the other hand  you may be wrong.
10. He keeps sneezing and coughing, perhaps he has got ______.
11. Lately a ______ has become the most feared insect in the countryside.
12. They went to casino and played for a high _______.
13. Children had to read the thick volume of “War and _______”.
14. Everybody thought it was a ______ play.
15. My neighbours have _______ the grass in their garden.
16. His speech was so long that he talked himsellf _________.
17. They always walked in the morning ______ or shine.
18. The notice says “Lift is out of order, use the _______”.
19. You must _______ formal clothes for reception in the Palace.
20. "To have a _____ in one's bonnet" means to behave in a strange manner.
21. What is the average ______ going by bus?
22.  Supermarkets often put up for ______ unsaleable goods.
23.  I ________ rather they joined us as soon as possible.
24.  Wine from the ______ is much better than from the bottle.
25. Rumours are in the _____ that he is about to leave.
26. Every summer she is puzzled as _______ to go on holidays.
27. Sometimes we do not know _____ own mind.
28. Haven’t you _____ him at the conference?
29. The _____ of this film is laid in Paris.
30. Teacher’s patience is running thin because of ______ misconduct.

Answer keys

Resources
ONLINE EXERCISES
Galina Kavaliauskienė
Mykolas Romeris University, Vilnius, Lithuania