Appendix:English dialect-independent homophones

Homophones are words that have the same sound but different meanings (and may or may not have different spellings). This list consists exclusively of homophones that have a different spelling.

This is a general list of sets of words which are homophonous in all or most dialects of English. It is difficult to prepare an accurate list as some traditional dialects, particularly in the British Isles, conserve or conserved until recently features that are long-lost elsewhere. It can be argued that two words are not fully homophonous in all dialects until the last speaker aware in perception of the original distinction dies, whether or not they continue to make the distinction in production throughout their life. For other sets of homophones see the List of dialect-dependent homophones.

Contents

1 General Homophone List 2 Notes on words 3 Notes on inclusion 4 See also 5 External links

General Homophone List

The following homophones are grouped by the lexical set of the vowel with primary stress and by rhyming sounds.

Section contents
FACE	SQUARE	FLEECE	NEAR	PRICE	GOAT	NORTH
FORCE	CHOICE	BATH	TRAP	MOUTH	DRESS	STRUT
NURSE	KIT	LOT	START	THOUGHT	FOOT	GOOSE

FACE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /eɪ/)

Lexical set: FACE

Note:

Not all of these are homophones in dialects which lack the long mid mergers or distinguish wait from weight.

Sound: (/eɪ/)

flay/fley (/'fleɪ/)

hay/hey (/'heɪ/)

jay/[J] (/'dʒeɪ/)

kay/[K] (/'keɪ/)

lay/lei (/'leɪ/)

nay/neigh/née (/'neɪ/)

pray/prey (/'preɪ/)

ray/[re] (/'reɪ/)

sleigh/slay (/'sleɪ/)

tray/trey (/'treɪ/)

way/weigh (/'weɪ/)

patience/patients (/'peɪ.ʃɛn(t)s, 'peɪ.ʃɛnts/)

toupee/to-pay (/tuː.'peɪ/)

Sound: (/eɪd/)

ade/aid/aide (/'eɪd/)

braid/brayed (/'breɪd/)

grade/(grayed/greyed) (/'greɪd/)

lade/laid (/'leɪd/)

maid/made (/'meɪd/)

raid/rayed (/'reɪd/)

spade/spayed (/'speɪd/)

trade/trayed (/treɪd/)

wade/weighed (/'weɪd/)

Sound: (/eɪk/)

brake/break (/'breɪk/)

stake/steak (/'steɪk/)

Sound: (/eɪl/)

ale/ail (/'eɪl/)

bale/bail (/'beɪl/)

gale/Gail/Gayle (/'geɪl/)

hale/hail (/'heɪl/)

male/mail (/'meɪl/)

pale/pail (/'peɪl/)

sale/sail (/'seɪl/)

tale/tail (/'teɪl/)

vale/vail/veil (/'veɪl/)

wale/wail/whale (/'weɪl/)

wails/Wales (/'weɪlz/)

Sound: (/eɪn/)

brain/brane (/'breɪn/)

fain/fane/feign (/'feɪn/)

lain/lane (/'leɪn/)

main/mane/mein/Maine (/'meɪn/)

pain/pane (/'peɪn/)

plain/plane (/'pleɪn/)

rain/reign/rein (/'reɪn/)

vain/vane/vein (/'veɪn/)

Sound: (/eɪnt/)

faint/feint (/'feɪnt/)

Sound: (/eɪs/)

bass/base (/'beɪs/)

place/plaice (/'pleɪs/)

Sound: (/eɪst/)

waste/waist (/'weɪst/)

Sound: (/eɪʃ/)

acclimation/acclamation (/æ.klə.'meɪ.ʃən/)

Sound: (/eɪt/)

bait/bate ('bAt) (/'beɪt/)

gait/gate ('gAt) (/'geɪt/)

great/grate (/'greɪt/)

plate/plait (/'pleɪt/)

strait/straight (/'streɪt/)

wait/weight (/'weɪt/)

Sound: (/eɪv/)

naval/navel (/'neɪ.vəl/)

wave/waive (/'weɪv/)

waver/waiver (/'weɪ.və^r/)

Sound: (/eɪz/)

days/daze (/'deɪz/)

faze/phase (/'feɪz/)

frays/phrase (/'freɪz/)

gaze/gay's (/'geɪz/)

graze/(grays/greys) (/'greɪz/)

haze/(hay's/hays)/hayes/heighs/heys (/'heɪz/)

lais/lase/lays/laze/(leas/leys)/leis (/'leɪz/)

maize/maze/Mays/May's (/'meɪz/)

praise/prays/preys (/'preɪz/)

raise/raze/rays/Ray's (/'reɪz/)

sleighs/slays (/'sleɪz/)

SQUARE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɛə^r/)

Lexical set: SQUARE

aerial/areal/Ariel (/'ɛə.ri.ˌəl/)

heir/air/ere/err/ayre/are/Ayr/e'er/eyre (/'ɛə^r/)

heirs/airs/errs (/'ɛə^rz/)

bare/bear (/'bɛə^r/)

fair/fare (/'fɛə^r/)

flair/flare (/'flɛə^r/)

hair/hare (/'hɛə^r/)

pair/pear/pare (/'pɛə^r/)

stair/stare (/'stɛə^r/)

tear/tare (/'tɛə^r/)

there/their/they're (/'ðɛə^r/)

theirs/there's (/'ðɛə^rz/)

wear/ware/weir (/'wɛə^r/)

See also

Mary-merry-marry merger

FLEECE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /iː/)

Lexical set: FLEECE

Sound: (/iː/)

be/bee/[B] (/'biː/)

(dee/[D]) (/'diː/)

(ee/[E]) (/'iː/)

flee/flea (/'fliː/)

(gee/[G]) (/'dʒiː/)

cay/key/(quay/quai) (/'kiː/)

me/[mi] (/'miː/)

[si]/see/sea/cee[C] (/'siː/)

pea/pee/[P] (/'piː/)

tee/tea/[ti]/[T] (/'tiː/)

the/thee (/'ðiː/)

(vee/[V]) (/'viː/)

we/wee (/'wiː/)

Sound: (/iːtʃ/)

beach/beech (/'biːtʃ/)

breach/breech (/'briːtʃ/)

leach/leech (/'liːtʃ/)

Sound: (/iːd/)

accede/exceed (/ɪk.'siːd/)

cede/seed (/'siːd/)

heed/he'd (/'hiːd/)

meed/mead (/'miːd/)

knead/kneed/need (/'niːd/)

read/reed/rede (/'riːd/)

weed/we'd (/'wiːd/)

Sound: (/iːk/)

creak/creek (/'kriːk/)

leak/leek (/'liːk/)

peak/peek/pique (/'piːk/)

sheik/sheikh/chic (/'ʃiːk/)

weak/week (/'wiːk/)

wreak/reek (/'riːk/)

Sound: (/iːl/)

heal/heel/he'll (/'hiːl/)

peal/peel (/'piːl/)

real/reel (/'riːl/)

seal/seel/ceil (/'siːl/)

sealing/ceiling (/'siː.lɪŋ/)

steal/steel (/'stiːl/)

weal/we'll (/'wiːl, 'ʍiːl/)

wheal/wheel (/'wiːl, 'ʍiːl/)

weald/wield (/'wiːld, 'ʍiːld/)

Sound: (/iːm/)

cream/creme (/'kriːm/)

deem/deme (/'diːm/)

seam/seem (/'siːm/)

semen/seamen (/'siː.mɛn/)

teem/team(/'tiːm/)

Sound: (/iːn/)

dean/dene (/'diːn/)

jean/gene/Jean/Gene (/'dʒiːn/)

jeans/genes/Jean's/Gene's (/'dʒiːnz/)

lien/lean (/'liːn/)

mean/mien (/'miːn/)

scene/seen (/'siːn/)

Sound: (/iːp/)

cheap/cheep (/'tʃiːp/)

Sound: (/iːs/)

grease/Greece (/'griːs/)

piece/peace (/'piːs/)

Sound: (/iːt/)

beat/beet (/'biːt/)

discrete/discreet (/dɪs.'kriːt, dɪ.'skriːt/)

feat/feet (/'fiːt/)

meat/meet/mete (/'miːt/)

peat/Pete (/'piːt/)

sweet/suite (/'swiːt/)

Sound: (/iːz/)

bees/B's (/'biːz/)

ease/E's (/'iːz/)

frees/freeze/frieze (/'friːz/)

pleas/please (/'pliːz/)

sees/seas/seize/cees/ces/cs/psis/sis/szis/C's (/'siːz/)

teas/tees/tease/[T's] (/'tiːz/)

Sound: (/iːv/)

weave/we've (/'wiːv/)

eave/eve/Eve (/'iːv/)

eaves/eves/Eve's (/'iːvz/)

NEAR

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɪə^r/)

Lexical set: NEAR

eerie/eery/Erie/aerie/aery/eyry/eyrie (/'ɪə.ri/)

dear/deer (/'dɪə^r/)

hear/here (/'hɪə^r/)

peer/pier (/'pɪə^r/)

sear/seer/sere (/'sɪə^r/)

shear/sheer (/'ʃɪə^r/)

tear/tier (/'tɪə^r/)

cereal/serial (/'sɪə.riˌəl/)

See also

Mirror-nearer merger

PRICE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /aɪ/)

Lexical set: PRICE

Sound: (/aɪ/)

buy/by/bye (/'baɪ/)

hi/high/hie (/'haɪ/)

die/dye (/'daɪ/)

ay/aye/eye/I (/'aɪ/)

lie/lye (/'laɪ/)

pie/[pi] (/'paɪ/)

rye/wry (/'raɪ/)

sigh/psi (/'saɪ/)

tie/Thai/tai/taille/tye/Tyigh (/'taɪ/)

wye/Y (/'waɪ/)

Sound: (/aɪd/)

eyed/I'd (/'aɪd/)

idyll/idle/idol (/'aɪ.dəl/)

pride/pried (/'praɪd/)

side/sighed (/'saɪd/)

tide/tied (/'taɪd/)

Sound: (/aɪl/)

isle/aisle/I'll (/'aɪl/)

viol/vial/vile (/'vaɪl/)

wild/wiled (/'waɪld/)

Sound: (/aɪm/)

rime/rhyme (/'raɪm/)

time/thyme (/'taɪm/)

Sound: (/aɪ(.)n/)

minor/miner (/'maɪ.nə^r//)

sign/sine (/'saɪn/)

find/fined (/'faɪnd/)

mind/mined (/'maɪnd/)

wind/wined/wynd (/'waɪnd/)

Sound: (/aɪə^r, aɪr/)

dire/dyer (/'daɪ(.)ə^r, daɪr/)

drier/dryer (/'draɪ.ə^r/)

flier/flyer (/'flaɪ.ə^r/)

hire/higher (/'haɪ(.)ə^r, haɪr/)

liar/lier/lyre (/'laɪ(.)ə^r, laɪr/)

sire/sigher (/'saɪ(.)ə^r, saɪr/)

tire/tier/tyre/Tyre (/'taɪ(.)ə^r, taɪr/)

Sound: (/aɪz/)

(prize/prise) (/'praɪz/)

ryes/rise (/'raɪz/)

sighs/size (/'saɪz/)

whys/why's/wise (/'waɪz/)

Sound: (/aɪt/)

bite/bight/byte (/'baɪt/)

knight/night (/'naɪt/)

might/mite (/'maɪt/)

rite/right/write/wright (/'raɪt/)

cite/sight/site (/'saɪt/)

recite/resight/resite (/ri.'saɪt/)

slight/sleight (/'slaɪt/)

GOAT

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /əʊ/)

Lexical set: GOAT

Note:

Not all of these are homophones in dialects which lack the long mid mergers.

Sound: (/əʊ/)

oh/owe/eau/eaux/haut/o/O (/'əʊ/)

bow/beau (/'bəʊ/)

doe/dough/do (/'dəʊ/)

flow/floe (/'fləʊ/)

ho/hoe (/'həʊ/)

lo/low (/'ləʊ/)

know/no (/'nəʊ/)

roe/row/[rho] (/'rəʊ/)

sew/so/sow/sol (/'səʊ/)

slow/sloe (/'sləʊ/)

throw/throe (/'θrəʊ/)

toe/tow (/'təʊ/)

Sound: (/əʊtʃ/)

broach/brooch (/'brəʊtʃ/)

Sound: (/əʊd/)

bode/bowed (/'bəʊd/)

load/lode/lowed (/'ləʊd/)

mode/mowed (/'məʊd/)

ode/owed (/'əʊd/)

road/rode/rowed (/'rəʊd/)

toad/toed/towed (/'təʊd/)

Sound: (/əʊk/)

yolk/yoke (/'jəʊk/)

Sound: (/əʊl/)

boll/bole/bowl (/'bəʊl/)

cole/coal/kohl (/'kəʊl/)

hole/whole (/'həʊl/)

holy/holey/wholly (/'həʊ.li/)

pole/poll (/'pəʊl/)

role/roll (/'rəʊl/)

sol/sole/soul/Seoul (/'səʊl/)

tole/toll (/'təʊl/)

bold/bowled (/'bəʊld/)

hold/holed (/'həʊld/)

sold/souled/soled (/'səʊld/)

told/tolled (/'təʊld/)

Sound: (/əʊm/)

comb/combe (/'kəʊm/)

roam/Rome (/'rəʊm/)

Sound: (/əʊn/)

groan/grown (/'grəʊn/)

loan/lone (/'ləʊn/)

moan/mown (/'məʊn/)

shone/shown (/'ʃəʊn/)

sone/sewn/sown (/'səʊn/)

throne/thrown (/'θrəʊn/)

Sound: (/əʊt/)

mote/moat (/'məʊt/)

rote/wrote (/'rəʊt/)

Sound: (/əʊz/)

hose/hoes (/'həʊz/)

knows/nose/noes/nos (/'nəʊz/)

rows/rose/roes (/'rəʊz/)

NORTH

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɔː^r/)

Lexical set: NORTH

Sound: (/ɔː^rd/)

chord/cord (/'kɔː^rd/)

ward/warred (/'wɔː^rd/)

Sound: (/ɔː^rn/)

warn/worn (/'wɔː^rn/)

See also:

Non-rhotic homophones

Horse-hoarse merger

FORCE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɔə^r/)

Lexical set: FORCE

Sound: (/ɔə^r/)

boar/bore/Boer (/'bɔː^r/)

fore/(four/[4])/for (/'fɔː^r/)

oar/ore/o'er (/'ɔː^r, 'ɔə^r/)

poor/pore/pour (/'pɔː^r, 'pɔə^r/)

soar/sore (/'sɔː^r, 'sɔə^r/)

your/you're/yore (/'jɔː^r/)

Sound: (/ɔː^rd, ɔə^rd/)

board/bored (/'bɔː^rd, 'bɔə^rd/)

gourd/gored (/'gɔː^rd, 'gɔə^rd/)

hoard/horde/whored (/'hɔː^rd, 'hɔə^rd/)

Sound: (/ɔː^rs, ɔə^rs/)

coarse/course (/'kɔː^rs, 'kɔə^rs/)

hoarse/horse (/'hɔː^rs, 'hɔə^rs/)

Sound: (/ɔː^rz, ɔə^rz/)

soars/sores (/'sɔː^rs, 'sɔə^rz/)

pores/pours (/'pɔː^rz, 'pɔə^rz/)

See also:

Non-rhotic homophones

Horse-hoarse merger

CHOICE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɔɪ/)

Lexical set: CHOICE

roil/royal (/'rɔɪ.əl/)

boy/buoy (/'bɔɪ/)

BATH

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /æ, ɑː/)

Lexical set: BATH

cast/caste (/'kæst, kɑːst/)

See also

Trap-bath split

TRAP

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /æ/)

Lexical set: TRAP

Sound: (/æks/)

tacks/tax (/'æks/)

Sound: (/ætʃ/)

bach/batch (/'bætʃ/)

catch/ketch (/'kætʃ/)

Sound: (/æd/)

ad/add (/'æd/)

Sound: (/æ(.)k/)

rack/wrack (/'ræk/)

sac/sack (/'sæk/)

Sound: (/æl/)

palette/pallet (/'pæl.ɪt/)

Sound: (/æm/)

dam/damn (/'dæm/)

jam/jamb (/'dʒæm/)

lam/lamb (/'læm/)

Sound: (/æ(.)n/)

cannon/canon (/'kæ.nʌn/)

canvas/canvass (/'kæn.vəs/)

manner/manor (/'mæn.ə^r/)

band/banned (/'bænd/)

Sound: (/æ(.)p/)

capital/capitol (/'kæ.pɪ.təl, 'kæ.pɪ.dəl/)

rap/wrap (/'ræp/)

rapper/wrapper (/'ræp.ə^r/)

rapping/wrapping (/'ræp.iŋ/)

rapped/wrapped/rapt (/'ræpt/)

Sound: (/ær/)

barren/baron (/'bær.ən/)

carat/karat/caret/carrot (/'kær.ət/)

Sound: (/æʃ/)

cache/cash (/'kæʃ/)

Sound: (/æt/)

fat/phat (/'fæt/

mat/matte/matt/Matt (/'mæt/)

See also

Trap-bath split

Mary-merry-marry merger

MOUTH

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /aʊ/)

Lexical set: MOUTH

Sound: (/aʊ/)

bow/bough (/'baʊ/)

chow/ciao (/'tʃaʊ/)

plow/plough (/'plaʊ/)

sow/sough (/'saʊ/)

Sound: (/aʊd/)

aloud/allowed (/ə.'laʊd/)

Sound: (/aʊl/)

foul/fowl (/'faʊl/)

Sound: (/aʊn/)

council/counsel (/'kaʊn.səl/)

councillor/counselor (/'kaʊn.sə.lə^r/)

Sound: (/aʊ(ə)^r/)

hour/our (/'aʊə^r, 'aʊ^r, 'ɑː^r/)

flour/flower (/'flaʊə^r, 'flaʊ.ə^r/)

DRESS

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɛ/)

Lexical set: DRESS

Sound: (/ɛtʃ/)

retch/wretch (/'rɛtʃ/)

Sound: (/ɛd/)

bread/bred (/'brɛd/)

led/lead (/'lɛd/)

medal/meddle (/'mɛd.əl/)

pedal/peddle (/'pɛd.əl/)

red/read (/'rɛd/)

Sound: (/ɛk/)

reck/wreck (/'rɛk/)

Sound: (/ɛks/)

ex/X (/'ɛks/)

Sound: (/ɛl/)

ell/el/L (/'ɛl/)

cell/sell (/'sɛl/)

cellar/seller (/'sɛl.ə^r/)

Sound: (/ɛm/)

em/M (/'ɛm/)

Sound: (/ɛn/)

concent<archaic>/consent (/kən.'sɛnt/)

accept/except (/ɪk.'sɛpt/)

ascent/assent (/ə.'sɛnt/)

en/N (/'ɛn/)

cent/sent/scent (/'sɛnt/)

cents/scents/sense (/'sɛn(t)s/)

censer/censor/sensor (/'sɛn.sə^r/)

centaury/Centaurii (/'sɛn.tɑr.ˌi, 'sɛn.tɔr.ˌi/)

dense/dents (/'dɛn(t)s/)

descent/dissent (/dɪ.'sɛnt/)

presence/presents (/'prɛ.zɛn(t)s/)

residence/residents (/'rɛz.ɪ.ˌdɛn(t)s/)

Sound: (/ɛp/)

step/steppe (/'stɛp/)

Sound: (/ɛs/)

rest/wrest (/'rɛst/)

Sound: (/ɛ.ðə^r/)

weather/wether (/'wɛ.ðə^r/)

Sound: (/ɛt/)

metal/mettle (/'mɛt.əl, 'mɛd.əl/)

Sound: (/ɛr/)

berry/bury (/'bɛr.i/)

heroin/heroine (/'hɛr.əʊ.ɪn/)

Sound: (/ɛ(.)z/)

desert/dessert (/dɛ.'zɝt/)

See also

Mary-merry-marry merger

STRUT

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ʌ/)

Lexical set: STRUT

Sound: (/ʌm/)

come/cum (/'kʌm/)

plum/plumb (/'plʌm/)

rum/rhumb (/'rʌm/)

some/sum (/'sʌm/)

dum/dumb /dʌm/

Sound: (/ʌn/)

done/dun (/'dʌn/)

ton/tonne/tun (/'tʌn/)

son/sun (/'sʌn/)

won/one/1 (/'wʌn/)

Sound: (/ʌŋ/)

rung/wrung (/'rʌŋ/)

Sound: (/ʌr/)

currant/current (/'kʌr.ənt/)

Sound: (/ʌ(.)s/)

mustard/mustered (/'mʌs.tə^r/d/)

muscle/mussel (/'mʌs.əl/)

Sound: (/ʌt/)

but/butt (/'bʌt/)

NURSE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɜː^r/)

Lexical set: NURSE

Note:

Not all of these are homophones in dialects which lack the fern-fir-fur merger.

berth/birth (/'bɜː^rθ/)

colonel/kernel (/'kɜː^r.nəl/)

earn/urn (/'ɜː^rn/)

fir/fur (/'fɜː^r/)

per/purr (/'pɜː^r/)

bird/burred (/'bɜː^rd/)

heard/herd (/'hɜː^rd/)

whirled/whorled/world (/'ʍɜː^rld/)

serf/surf (/'sɜː^rf/)

hurts/hertz (/'hɜː^rts/)

KIT

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɪ/)

Lexical set: KIT

Sound: (/ɪb/)

nibble/nybble (/'nɪb.əl/)

Sound: (/ɪg/)

rigor/rigger (/'rɪg.ə^r/

Sound: (/ɪl/)

chilly/(chili/chilli)/Chile (/'tʃɪl.i, 'tʃi.(ˌ)leɪ/)

build/billed (/'bɪld/)

gorilla/guerilla/guerrilla (/gə'rɪl.ə/)

Sound: (/ɪm/)

cymbal/symbol (/'sɪm.bəl/)

him/hymn (/'hɪm/)

immanent/imminent (/'ɪm.ə.nənt, 'ɪm.ɪ.nənt/)

limb/limn (/'lɪm/)

Sound: (/ɪn/)

in/inn (/'ɪn/)

principle/principal (/'prɪn(t).sɪ.pl̩, 'prɪn(t).sɪ.pəl/)

mince/mints (/'mɪn(t)s, 'mɪnts/)

prince/prints (/'prɪn(t)s, 'prɪnts/)

Sound: (/ɪŋ/)

links/lynx (/'lɪŋks, 'lɪŋ(k)s/)

ring/wring (/'rɪŋ/)

sink/(sync/synch) (/'sɪŋk/)

ringer/wringer (/'rɪŋ.ə^r/)

Sound: (/ɪs/)

scissel/scissile/Sicel/sisal/sisel/sissle/syssal (/'sɪs.əl/)

Sound: (/ɪt/)

its/it's (/'ɪts/)

LOT

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɒ/)

Lexical set: LOT

Sound: (/ɒ/)

profit/prophet (/'prɒf.ət/)

Sound: (/ɒk/)

bloc/block (/blɒk/)

doc/dock (/dɒk/)

(loch/lough)/lock (/lɒx, lɒk/)

nock/knock (/nɒk/)

roc/rock (/rɒk/)

Sound: (/ɒn/)

don/Don (/dɒn/)

Sound: (/ɒt/)

knot/not (/nɒt/)

See also

Cot caught and father-bother mergers

START

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɑː^r/)

Lexical set: START

are/ar[R] (/ɑː^r/)

(sergeant/serjeant)/Sargent (/'sɑː^r.dʒənt/)

bard/barred (/'bɑː^rd/)

bazaar/bizarre (/bə'zɑː^r/)

(marshal/marshall)/martial (/'mɑː^r.ʃəl/)

arc/ark (/'ɑː^rk/)

hart/heart (/'hɑː^rt/)

See also:

Non-rhotic homophones

THOUGHT

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ɔː/)

Lexical set: THOUGHT

Sound: (/ɔːl/)

all/awl (/ɔːl/)

altar/alter (/ɔːl.tə^r/

ball/bawl (/bɔːl/)

call/caul (/kɔːl/)

hall/haul (/hɔːl/)

mall/maul (/mɔːl/)

bald/balled/bawled (/bɔːld/)

pall/Paul (/pɔːl/)

Sound: (/ɔːn/)

fawn/faun (/fɔːn/)

dawn/Dawn (/dɔːn/)

Sound: (/ɑː(r), ɒ(r), ɔː(r)/)

aureole/oriole (/'ɔːr.i.ˌəʊl, 'əʊr.i.ˌəʊl, -i.əl/)

story/storey (/'stɔːr.i, 'stəʊr.i/)

Sound: (/ɔːt/)

aught/ought (/ɑːt, ɔːt/)

naught/nought (/nɔːt/)

taught/taut (/tɔːt/)

Sound: (/ɑː(r)z, ɒ(r)z, ɔː(r)z/)

paws/pause (/pɔːz/)

claws/clause (/klɔːz/)

See also

Cot caught and father-bother mergers

Non-rhotic homophones

FOOT

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /ʊ/)

Lexical set: FOOT

Sound: (/ʊd/)

wood/would (/'wʊd/)

GOOSE

Stressed vowel: (IPA: /uː/)

Lexical set: GOOSE

Sound: (/uː/)

blew/blue/bleu (/'bluː/)

cue/queue/[Q] (/'kjuː/)

cues/queues/[Q's] (/'kjuːz/)

dew/due (/'djuː/)

flew/flue (/'fluː/)

loo/Lou (/'luː/)

knew/new (/'njuː/)

gnu/[nu] (/'nuː/)

shoo/shoe/choux (/'ʃuː/)

slue/slew (/sluː/)

sue/Sioux (/suː/)

to/too/(two/[2]) (/'tuː/)

who/whoo (/'huː/)

pupil/pupal (/'pjuː.pəl/)

yew/you/ewe/U (/'juː/)

Sound: (/uːd/)

crude/crewed (/kruːd/)

mood/mooed (/'muːd/)

rude/rued (/'ruːd/)

Sound: (/uːl/)

dual/duel (/'djuː.əl/}})

yule/you'll (/'juːl/)

Sound: (/uːm/)

toom/tomb (/'tuːm/)

Sound: (/uːp/)

troop/troupe (/'truːp/)

Sound: (/uːz/)

bruise/brews (/'bruːz/)

cruise/crews/cruse (/'kruːz/)

ruse/rues (/'ruːz/)

whose/who's (/'huːz/)

use/yews/ewes/U's (/'juːz/)

See also

Yod-dropping and coalescence

Notes on words

• Phonemic transcriptions are in IPA symbols.
• Different spellings of identical words are grouped with parentheses.
• Symbols, numbers/letters are in brackets.
• There is some ambiguity over homophones since there are different pronunciations of words.

Notes on inclusion

• Contracted words are included.
• A few double-words are included. (A word can sound like two words in sequence)
• Plural nouns, and tensed verbs are included.
• Some well known proper names (first or last) are included, although this allows endless additions.

See also

Wikipedia

• Homophone
• List of English homographs
• List of common misspellings in English
• List of frequently misused English words

External links

• Merriam-Webster dictionary
• 1200 computer generated homophones in alphabetical order