About the English Homophones List
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings, such as sea and see, or to, too and two. They cause many writing mistakes, because spell-checkers cannot tell which one you meant when both are real words. This page lists more than 80 groups, each word with a short meaning. Search for a word, press Hear to listen to how it sounds (it will be the same for the whole group), and tick the test option to hide the meanings and check whether you remember which is which. The groups include the classics (their, there and they're) and many less obvious pairs, such as principal and principle, or stationary and stationery. It works on phones and computers.
Updated October 2026
How to use the English Homophones List
- 1Type a word or meaning in the search box.
- 2Read each group and its meanings.
- 3Press Hear to listen to a word.
- 4Tick Test myself to hide the meanings.
- 5Tap show meaning when you want to check.
The mistakes people make most
Most errors come from a few groups that are used all the time. They are small words, so people type them without thinking. The cure is to know the test for each one. Your means belonging to you, and you're is a short form of you are. If you cannot replace the word with you are, use your. In the same way, it's always means it is or it has; its with no apostrophe shows possession.
There is a place (it has here inside it), their belongs to them, and they're means they are. Three words, three jobs, and once you have the test you rarely need to stop and think.
Memory tricks
- Hear: you hear with your ear. Here: a place, like there and where.
- Principal: a person who is your pal. Principle: a rule.
- Piece: a piece of pie. Peace: a calm place.
- Desert and dessert: dessert has two s because you want two helpings.
- Weather and whether: weather is for rain, whether is for choices.
- Break and brake: break a rule, brake a car.
Related tools
Test your spelling of these words with the Spelling Practice Test, and keep the tricky pairs in the Flashcard Maker. The Grammar Checker highlights other writing problems, the Phrasal Verbs List covers another confusing area, and the Text to Speech tool reads whole paragraphs aloud. Read your writing aloud and check each word.
Features
- Over 80 groups of homophones
- Short meaning for each word
- Search by word or meaning
- Hear each word read aloud
- Test mode hides the meanings
- Works on phones
- Free for learners
Frequently asked questions
What is a homophone?
A word that sounds the same as another word but differs in spelling and meaning. Hear and here are homophones.
What is the difference between homophones, homonyms and homographs?
Homophones sound the same and are spelled differently. Homographs are spelled the same, maybe pronounced differently. Homonyms are spelled and sound the same but have different meanings, like bank.
Which homophones are most confused?
There, their and they're; your and you're; its and it's; to, too and two; and whether and weather. These cause most mistakes in writing.
How can I remember them?
Make a small trick for each pair. For example, you hear with your ear, and here is a place. Stationery with an e is for envelopes.
Do all English speakers say them the same?
Most do, but accents differ. For example, in some accents, caught and cot sound different and in others they do not. This list uses the common sound-alikes.
Does a spell checker find these mistakes?
Usually not, because each word is a correct word. A grammar checker or a careful reading finds more. Read your writing aloud and check the meaning of each word.
Why are there homophones in English?
Because English borrowed words from many languages and changed its pronunciation over centuries, while the spelling stayed fixed.