Appendix:English dialect-independent homophones

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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.

General homophone list[edit]

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 cure price goat north
force choice bath trap mouth dress strut
nurse kit lot start thought foot goose

FACE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/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 (/ˈfleɪ/)
hay/he/hey (/ˈheɪ/)
jay/J (/ˈdʒeɪ/)
kay/K (/ˈkeɪ/)
lay/lei (/ˈleɪ/)
nay/neigh/née (/ˈneɪ/)
pray/prey (/ˈpreɪ/)
ray/re (/ˈreɪ/)
sleigh/slay (/ˈsleɪ/)
tray/trey (/ˈtreɪ/)
way/weigh (/ˈweɪ/)
toupee/to-pay (/tuː.ˈpeɪ/)
Sound: (/eɪd/)
ade/aid/aide (/ˈeɪd/)
braid/brayed (/ˈbreɪd/)
grade/(grayed/greyed) (/ˈɡreɪd/)
lade/laid (/ˈleɪd/)
maid/made (/ˈmeɪd/)
raid/rayed (/ˈreɪd/)
spade/spayed (/ˈspeɪd/)
trade/trayed (/treɪd/)
wade/wayed/weighed (/ˈweɪd/)
Sound: (/eɪk/)
brake/break (/ˈbreɪk/)
stake/steak (/ˈsteɪk/)
Sound: (/eɪl/)
ale/ail (/ˈeɪl/)
bale/bail (/ˈbeɪl/)
gale/Gail/Gayle (/ˈɡeɪl/)
hale/hail (/ˈheɪl/)
male/mail (/ˈmeɪl/)
pale/pail (/ˈpeɪl/)
sale/sail (/ˈseɪl/)
tale/tail (/ˈteɪl/)
vale/vail/veil (/ˈveɪl/)
wale/wail/whale (/ˈweɪl/)
Wales/wales/wails/whales (/ˈweɪlz/)
Sound: (/eɪn/)
brain/brane (/ˈbreɪn/)
fain/fane/feign (/ˈfeɪn/)
lain/lane (/ˈleɪn/)
main/mane/mein/Maine (/ˈmeɪn/)
pain/pane (/ˈpeɪn/)
plain/plane (/ˈpleɪn/)
rain/reign/rein (/ˈreɪn/)
vain/vane/vein (/ˈveɪn/)
Sound: (/eɪnt/)
faint/feint (/ˈfeɪnt/)
Sound: (/eɪs/)
bass/base (/ˈbeɪs/)
place/plaice (/ˈpleɪs/)
Sound: (/eɪst/)
waste/waist (/ˈweɪst/)
Sound: (/eɪʃ/)
acclimation/acclamation (/æ.klə.ˈmeɪ.ʃən/)
Sound: (/eɪt/)
bait/bate (ˈbAt) (/ˈbeɪt/)
gait/gate (ˈgAt) (/ˈɡeɪt/)
great/grate (/ˈɡreɪt/)
plate/plait (/ˈpleɪt/)
strait/straight (/ˈstreɪt/)
wait/weight (/ˈweɪt/)
Sound: (/eɪv/)
naval/navel (/ˈneɪ.vəl/)
wave/waive (/ˈweɪv/)
waver/waiver (/ˈweɪ.vəʴ/)
Sound: (/eɪz/)
days/daze (/ˈdeɪz/)
faze/phase (/ˈfeɪz/)
frays/phrase (/ˈfreɪz/)
gaze/gays (/ˈɡeɪz/)
graze/(grays/greys) (/ˈɡreɪz/)
haze/(hay's/hays)/hayes/heighs/heys (/ˈheɪz/)
lais/lase/lays/laze/(leas/leys)/leis (/ˈleɪz/)
maize/maze/Mays/May's (/ˈmeɪz/)
praise/prays/preys (/ˈpreɪz/)
raise/raze/rays/Ray's (/ˈreɪz/)
sleighs/slays (/ˈsleɪz/)

SQUARE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɛəʴ/)
Lexical set: square
aerial/areal/Ariel (/ˈɛə.ri.ˌəl/)
heir/air/ere/err/ayre/are/Ayr/eˈer/eyre (/ˈɛəʴ/)
heirs/airs/errs (/ˈɛəʴz/)
bare/bear (/ˈbɛəʴ/)
fair/fare (/ˈfɛəʴ/)
flair/flare (/ˈflɛəʴ/)
hair/hare (/ˈhɛəʴ/)
pair/pear/pare (/ˈpɛəʴ/)
stair/stare (/ˈstɛəʴ/)
tear/tare (/ˈtɛəʴ/)
there/their/they're (/ˈðɛəʴ/)
theirs/there's (/ˈðɛəʴz/)
wear/ware/weir (/ˈwɛəʴ/)
See also
Mary-merry-marry merger

FLEECE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/iː/)
Lexical set: fleece
Sound: (/iː/)
be/bee/[B] (/ˈbiː/)
(dee/[D]) (/ˈdiː/)
(ee/[E]) (/ˈiː/)
flee/flea (/ˈfliː/)
(gee/[G]) (/ˈdʒiː/)
cay/key/(quay/quai) (/ˈkiː/)
me/mi (/ˈmiː/)
[si]/see/sea/cee[C] (/ˈsiː/)
pea/pee/[P] (/ˈpiː/)
tee/tea/ti/[T] (/ˈtiː/)
the/thee (/ˈðiː/)
(vee/[V]) (/ˈviː/)
we/wee (/ˈwiː/)
Sound: (/iːtʃ/)
beach/beech (/ˈbiːtʃ/)
breach/breech (/ˈbriːtʃ/)
leach/leech (/ˈliːtʃ/)
Sound: (/iːd/)
accede/exceed (/ɪk.ˈsiːd/)
cede/seed (/ˈsiːd/)
heed/he'd (/ˈhiːd/)
meed/mead (/ˈmiːd/)
knead/kneed/need (/ˈniːd/)
read/reed/rede (/ˈriːd/)
weed/we'd (/ˈwiːd/)
Sound: (/iːk/)
creak/creek (/ˈkriːk/)
leak/leek (/ˈliːk/)
peak/peek/pique (/ˈpiːk/)
sheik/sheikh/chic (/ˈʃiːk/)
weak/week (/ˈwiːk/)
wreak/reek (/ˈriːk/)
Sound: (/iːl/)
heal/heel/he'll (/ˈhiːl/)
peal/peel (/ˈpiːl/)
real/reel (/ˈriːl/)
seal/seel/ceil (/ˈsiːl/)
sealing/ceiling (/ˈsiː.lɪŋ/)
steal/steel (/ˈstiːl/)
weal/we'll (/ˈwiːl, ˈʍiːl/)
wheal/wheel (/ˈwiːl, ˈʍiːl/)
weald/wield (/ˈwiːld, ˈʍiːld/)
Sound: (/iːm/)
cream/creme (/ˈkriːm/)
deem/deme (/ˈdiːm/)
seam/seem (/ˈsiːm/)
semen/seamen (/ˈsiː.mɛn/)
teem/team(/ˈtiːm/)
Sound: (/iːn/)
dean/dene (/ˈdiːn/)
jean/gene/Jean/Gene (/ˈdʒiːn/)
jeans/genes/Jean's/Gene's (/ˈdʒiːnz/)
lien/lean (/ˈliːn/)
mean/mien (/ˈmiːn/)
scene/seen (/ˈsiːn/)
Sound: (/iːp/)
cheap/cheep (/ˈtʃiːp/)
Sound: (/iːs/)
grease/Greece (/ˈɡriːs/)
piece/peace (/ˈpiːs/)
Sound: (/iːt/)
beat/beet (/ˈbiːt/)
discrete/discreet (/dɪs.ˈkriːt, dɪ.ˈskriːt/)
feat/feet (/ˈfiːt/)
meat/meet/mete (/ˈmiːt/)
peat/Pete (/ˈpiːt/)
sweet/suite (/ˈswiːt/)
Sound: (/iːz/)
bees/B's (/ˈbiːz/)
ease/E's (/ˈiːz/)
frees/freeze/frieze (/ˈfriːz/)
pleas/please (/ˈpliːz/)
sees/seas/seize/cees/ces/cs/psis/sis/szis/C's (/ˈsiːz/)
teas/tees/tease/[T's] (/ˈtiːz/)
Sound: (/iːv/)
weave/we've (/ˈwiːv/)
eave/eve/Eve (/ˈiːv/)
eaves/eves/Eve's (/ˈiːvz/)

NEAR[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɪəʴ/)
Lexical set: near
eerie/eery/Erie/aerie/aery/eyry/eyrie (/ˈɪə.ri/)
dear/deer (/ˈdɪəʴ/)
hear/here (/ˈhɪəʴ/)
peer/pier (/ˈpɪəʴ/)
sear/seer/sere (/ˈsɪəʴ/)
shear/sheer (/ˈʃɪəʴ/)
tear/tier (/ˈtɪəʴ/)
cereal/serial (/ˈsɪə.riˌəl/)
See also
Mirror-nearer merger

CURE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ʊəʴ/)
Lexical set: cure
ensure/insure (/ɪnˈʃʊəʴ/)
moor/Moore (/ˈmʊəʴ/)
pleural/plural (/ˈplʊə.rəl/)
your/you’re (/ˈjʊəʴ/)

PRICE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/aɪ/)
Lexical set: price
Sound: (/aɪ/)
bi/buy/by/bye (/ˈbaɪ/)
hi/high/hie (/ˈhaɪ/)
die/dye (/ˈdaɪ/)
ay/aye/eye/I (/ˈaɪ/)
lie/lye (/ˈlaɪ/)
pie/pi (/ˈpaɪ/)
rye/wry (/ˈraɪ/)
sigh/psi (/ˈsaɪ/)
tie/Thai/tai/taille/tye/Tyigh (/ˈtaɪ/)
why/wye/Y (/ˈwaɪ/)
Sound: (/aɪd/)
eyed/I'd/ide (/aɪd/)
idyll/idle/idol (/ˈaɪ.dəl/)
pride/pried (/ˈpraɪd/)
side/sighed (/ˈsaɪd/)
tide/tied (/ˈtaɪd/)
Sound: (/aɪk/)
lichen/liken (/ˈlaɪkən/)
Sound: (/aɪl/)
isle/aisle/I'll (/ˈaɪl/)
viol/vial/vile (/ˈvaɪl/)
wild/wiled (/ˈwaɪld/)
Sound: (/aɪm/)
rime/rhyme (/ˈraɪm/)
time/thyme (/ˈtaɪm/)
Sound: (/aɪ(.)n/)
minor/miner (/ˈmaɪ.nəʴ/)
sign/sine (/ˈsaɪn/)
find/fined (/ˈfaɪnd/)
mind/mined (/ˈmaɪnd/)
wind/wined/wynd (/ˈwaɪnd/)
Sound: (/aɪəʴ, aɪr/)
dire/dyer (/ˈdaɪ(.)əʴ, daɪr/)
flier/flyer (/ˈflaɪ.əʴ/)
hire/higher (/ˈhaɪ(.)əʴ, haɪr/)
liar/lier/lyre (/ˈlaɪ(.)əʴ, laɪr/)
sire/sigher (/ˈsaɪ(.)əʴ, saɪr/)
tire/tier/tyre/Tyre (/ˈtaɪ(.)əʴ, taɪr/)
Sound: (/aɪz/)
(pries/prize/prise) (/ˈpraɪz/)
ryes/rise (/ˈraɪz/)
sighs/size (/ˈsaɪz/)
Sound: (/aɪt/)
bite/bight/byte (/ˈbaɪt/)
knight/night (/ˈnaɪt/)
might/mite (/ˈmaɪt/)
rite/right/write/wright (/ˈraɪt/)
cite/sight/site (/ˈsaɪt/)
recite/resight/resite (/ri.ˈsaɪt/)
slight/sleight (/ˈslaɪt/)
wight/wite/white (/waɪt/)

GOAT[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/əʊ/)
Lexical set: goat
Note:
Not all of these are homophones in dialects which lack the long mid mergers.
Sound: (/əʊ/, /oʊ/)
oh/owe/eau/eaux/haut/o/O (/ˈəʊ/, /oʊ/)
bow/beau (/ˈbəʊ/)
doe/dough/do (/ˈdəʊ/)
flow/floe (/ˈfləʊ/)
ho/hoe (/ˈhəʊ/)
lo/low (/ˈləʊ/)
know/no (/ˈnəʊ/)
roe/row/[rho] (/ˈrəʊ/)
sew/so/sow/sol (/ˈsəʊ/)
slow/sloe (/ˈsləʊ/)
throw/throe (/ˈθrəʊ/)
toe/tow (/ˈtəʊ/)
Sound: (/əʊtʃ/)
broach/brooch (/ˈbrəʊtʃ/)
Sound: (/əʊd/)
bode/bowed (/ˈbəʊd/)
load/lode/lowed (/ˈləʊd/)
mode/mowed (/ˈməʊd/)
ode/owed (/ˈəʊd/)
road/rode/rowed (/ˈrəʊd/)
toad/toed/towed (/ˈtəʊd/)
Sound: (/əʊk/)
yolk/yoke (/ˈjəʊk/)
Sound: (/əʊl/)
boll/bole/bowl (/ˈbəʊl/)
cole/coal/kohl (/ˈkəʊl/)
hole/whole (/ˈhəʊl/)
holy/holey/wholly (/ˈhəʊ.li/)
pole/poll (/ˈpəʊl/)
role/roll (/ˈrəʊl/)
sol/sole/soul/Seoul (/ˈsəʊl/)
tole/toll (/ˈtəʊl/)
bold/bowled (/ˈbəʊld/)
hold/holed (/ˈhəʊld/)
sold/souled/soled (/ˈsəʊld/)
told/tolled (/ˈtəʊld/)
Sound: (/əʊm/)
comb/combe (/ˈkəʊm/)
roam/Rome (/ˈrəʊm/)
Sound: (/əʊn/)
groan/grown (/ˈɡrəʊn/)
loan/lone (/ˈləʊn/)
moan/mown (/ˈməʊn/)
sone/sewn/sown (/ˈsəʊn/)
throne/thrown (/ˈθrəʊn/)
Sound: (/əʊt/)
mote/moat (/ˈməʊt/)
rote/wrote (/ˈrəʊt/)
Sound: (/əʊz/)
hose/hoes (/ˈhəʊz/)
knows/nose/noes/nos (/ˈnəʊz/)
rows/rose/roes (/ˈrəʊz/)

NORTH[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɔːʴ/)
Lexical set: north
Sound: (/ɔːʴd/)
chord/cord (/ˈkɔːʴd/)
ward/warred (/ˈwɔːʴd/)
See also:
Non-rhotic homophones
Horse-hoarse merger

FORCE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɔəʴ/)
Lexical set: force
Sound: (/ɔəʴ/)
boar/bore/Boer (/ˈbɔəʴ/)
core/corps (/ˈkɔəʴ/)
fore/four (/ˈfɔəʴ/)
oar/ore/o'er (/ˈɔəʴ/)
pore/pour (/ˈpɔəʴ/)
soar/sore (/ˈsɔəʴ/)
Sound: (/ɔəʴd/)
board/bored (/ˈbɔəʴd/)
gourd/gored (/ˈɡɔəʴd/)
hoard/horde/whored (/ˈhɔəʴd/)
soared/sword (/ˈsɔəʴd/)
Sound: (/ɔəʴs/)
coarse/course (/ˈkɔəʴs/)
Sound: (/ɔəʴz/)
soars/sores (/ˈsɔəʴz/)
pores/pours (/ˈpɔəʴz/)
Sound: (/ɔəʴθ/)
forth/fourth (/ˈfɔəʴθ/)
See also:
Non-rhotic homophones
Horse-hoarse merger

CHOICE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɔɪ/)
Lexical set: choice
roil/royal (/ˈrɔɪ.əl/)
boy/buoy (/ˈbɔɪ/)

BATH[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/æ, ɑː/)
Lexical set: bath
cast/caste (/ˈkæst, kɑːst/)
past/passed (/ˈpæst, pɑːst/)
See also
Trap-bath split

TRAP[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/æ/)
Lexical set: trap
Sound: (/æks/)
tacks/tax (/ˈæks/)
Sound: (/ætʃ/)
bach/batch (/ˈbætʃ/)
catch/ketch (/ˈkætʃ/)
Sound: (/æd/)
ad/add (/ˈæd/)
Sound: (/æ(.)k/)
rack/wrack (/ˈræk/)
sac/sack (/ˈsæk/)
Sound: (/æl/)
palette/pallet (/ˈpæl.ɪt/)
Sound: (/æm/)
dam/damn (/ˈdæm/)
jam/jamb (/ˈdʒæm/)
lam/lamb (/ˈlæm/)
Sound: (/æ(.)n/)
cannon/canon (/ˈkæ.nən/)
canvas/canvass (/ˈkæn.vəs/)
manner/manor (/ˈmæn.əʴ/)
band/banned (/ˈbænd/)
Sound: (/æ(.)p/)
capital/capitol (/ˈkæ.pɪ.təl, ˈkæ.pɪ.dəl/)
rap/wrap (/ˈræp/)
rapper/wrapper (/ˈræp.əʴ/)
rapping/wrapping (/ˈræp.iŋ/)
rapped/wrapped/rapt (/ˈræpt/)
Sound: (/ær/)
barren/baron (/ˈbær.ən/)
carat/karat/caret/carrot (/ˈkær.ət/)
Sound: (/æʃ/)
cache/cash (/ˈkæʃ/)
Sound: (/æt/)
fat/phat (/ˈfæt/
mat/matte/matt/Matt (/ˈmæt/)
See also
Trap-bath split
Mary-merry-marry merger

MOUTH[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/aʊ/)
Lexical set: mouth
Sound: (/aʊ/)
bow/bough (/ˈbaʊ/)
chow/ciao (/ˈtʃaʊ/)
plow/plough (/ˈplaʊ/)
sow/sough (/ˈsaʊ/)
Sound: (/aʊd/)
aloud/allowed (/ə.ˈlaʊd/)
Sound: (/aʊl/)
foul/fowl (/ˈfaʊl/)
Sound: (/aʊn/)
council/counsel (/ˈkaʊn.səl/)
councillor/counselor (/ˈkaʊn.sə.ləʴ/)
Sound: (/aʊ(ə)ʴ/)
hour/our (/ˈaʊəʴ, ˈaʊʴ, ˈɑːʴ/)
flour/flower (/ˈflaʊəʴ, ˈflaʊ.əʴ/)
Sound:(/aʊ.əʴdː/)
coward/cowered(/ˈkaʊ.əʴd/)

DRESS[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɛ/)
Lexical set: dress
Sound: (/ɛtʃ/)
retch/wretch (/ˈrɛtʃ/)
Sound: (/ɛd/)
bread/bred (/ˈbrɛd/)
led/lead (/ˈlɛd/)
medal/meddle (/ˈmɛd.əl/)
pedal/peddle (/ˈpɛd.əl/)
red/read (/ˈrɛd/)
Sound: (/ɛk/)
reck/wreck (/ˈrɛk/)
Sound: (/ɛks/)
ex/X (/ˈɛks/)
Sound: (/ɛl/)
ell/el/L (/ˈɛl/)
cell/sell (/ˈsɛl/)
cellar/seller (/ˈsɛl.əʴ/)
Sound: (/ɛm/)
em/M (/ˈɛm/)
Sound: (/ɛn/)
concent<archaic>/consent (/kən.ˈsɛnt/)
ascent/assent (/ə.ˈsɛnt/)
en/N (/ˈɛn/)
cent/sent/scent (/ˈsɛnt/)
censer/censor/sensor (/ˈsɛn.səʴ/)
centaury/Centauri (/ˈsɛn.tɑr.ˌi, ˈsɛn.tɔr.ˌi/)
descent/dissent (/dɪ.ˈsɛnt/)
Sound: (/ɛp/)
step/steppe (/ˈstɛp/)
Sound: (/ɛs/)
rest/wrest (/ˈrɛst/)
Sound: (/ɛ.ðəʴ/)
weather/wether/whether (/ˈwɛ.ðəʴ/)
Sound: (/ɛt/)
metal/mettle (/ˈmɛt.əl, ˈmɛd.əl/)
Sound: (/ɛr/)
berry/bury (/ˈbɛr.i/)
heroin/heroine (/ˈhɛr.əʊ.ɪn/)
Sound: (/ɛ(.)z/)
desert/dessert (/dɛ.ˈzɝt/)
See also
Mary-merry-marry merger

STRUT[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ʌ/)
Lexical set: strut
Sound: (/ʌm/)
come/cum (/ˈkʌm/)
plum/plumb (/ˈplʌm/)
rum/rhumb (/ˈrʌm/)
some/sum (/ˈsʌm/)
dum/dumb /dʌm/
Sound: (/ʌn/)
done/dun (/ˈdʌn/)
ton/tonne/tun (/ˈtʌn/)
son/sun (/ˈsʌn/)
won/one/1 (/ˈwʌn/)
Sound: (/ʌŋ/)
rung/wrung (/ˈrʌŋ/)
Sound: (/ʌr/)
currant/current (/ˈkʌr.ənt/)
Sound: (/ʌ(.)s/)
mustard/mustered (/ˈmʌs.təʴd/)
muscle/mussel (/ˈmʌs.əl/)
Sound: (/ʌt/)
but/butt (/ˈbʌt/)

NURSE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɜːʴ/)
Lexical set: nurse
Note:
Not all of these are homophones in dialects which lack the fern-fir-fur merger.
berth/birth (/ˈbɜːʴθ/)
colonel/kernel (/ˈkɜːʴ.nəl/)
earn/urn (/ˈɜːʴn/)
fir/fur (/ˈfɜːʴ/)
per/purr (/ˈpɜːʴ/)
bird/burred (/ˈbɜːʴd/)
heard/herd (/ˈhɜːʴd/)
whirled/whorled (/ˈʍɜːʴld/)
serf/surf (/ˈsɜːʴf/)
hurts/hertz (/ˈhɜːʴts/)

KIT[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɪ/)
Lexical set: kit
Sound: (/ɪb/)
nibble/nybble (/ˈnɪb.əl/)
Sound: (/ɪɡ/)
rigor/rigger (/ˈrɪɡ.əʴ/
Sound: (/ɪl/)
chilly/(chili/chilli)/Chile (/ˈtʃɪl.i, ˈtʃi.(ˌ)leɪ/)
build/billed (/ˈbɪld/)
gorilla/(guerrilla/guerilla) (/ɡəˈɹɪl.ə/)
Sound: (/ɪm/)
cymbal/symbol (/ˈsɪm.bəl/)
him/hymn (/ˈhɪm/)
immanent/imminent (/ˈɪm.ə.nənt, ˈɪm.ɪ.nənt/)
limb/limn (/ˈlɪm/)
Sound: (/ɪn/)
in/inn (/ˈɪn/)
principle/principal (/ˈprɪn.sɪ.pl̩, ˈprɪn.sɪ.pəl/)
Sound: (/ɪŋ/)
links/lynx (/ˈlɪŋks, ˈlɪŋ(k)s/)
ring/wring (/ˈrɪŋ/)
sink/(sync/synch) (/ˈsɪŋk/)
ringer/wringer (/ˈrɪŋ.əʴ/)
Sound: (/ɪs/)
scissel/scissile/Sicel/sisal/sisel/sissle/syssal (/ˈsɪs.əl/)
Sound: (/ɪt/)
its/it's (/ˈɪts/)
wit/whit (/wɪt/)

LOT[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɒ/)
Lexical set: lot
Sound: (/ɒ/)
profit/prophet (/ˈprɒf.ɪt/)
Sound: (/ɒk/)
bloc/block (/blɒk/)
chock/chalk (/tʃɒk/)
doc/dock (/dɒk/)
(loch/lough)/lock (/lɒx, lɒk/)
nock/knock (/nɒk/)
roc/rock (/rɒk/)
Sound: (/ɒn/)
don/Don (/dɒn/)
Sound: (/ɒt/)
bot/bought (/bɒt/)
knot/not (/nɒt/)
Sound: (/ɒm/)
complement/compliment (/ˈkɒm.plɪ.mənt/)
See also
Cot caught and father-bother mergers

START[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɑːʴ/)
Lexical set: start
are/ar[R] (/ɑːʴ/)
(sergeant/serjeant)/Sargent (/ˈsɑːʴ.dʒənt/)
bard/barred (/ˈbɑːʴd/)
bazaar/bizarre (/bəˈzɑːʴ/)
(marshal/marshall)/martial/Martial (/ˈmɑːʴ.ʃəl/)
arc/ark (/ˈɑːʴk/)
hart/heart (/ˈhɑːʴt/)
See also:
Non-rhotic homophones

THOUGHT[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ɔː/)
Lexical set: thought
Sound: (/ɔːl/)
all/awl (/ɔːl/)
altar/alter (/ɔːl.təʴ/
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 (/ˈɔːr.i.ˌəʊl, ˈəʊr.i.ˌəʊl, -i.əl/)
story/storey (/ˈstɔːr.i, ˈstəʊr.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[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/ʊ/)
Lexical set: foot
Sound: (/ʊd/)
wood/would (/ˈwʊd/)

GOOSE[edit]

Stressed vowel: (/uː/)
Lexical set: goose
Sound: (/uː/)
blew/blue/bleu (/ˈbluː/)
cue/queue/Q (/ˈkjuː/)
cues/queues/Q's (/ˈkjuːz/)
dew/due (/ˈdjuː/)
flew/flue (/ˈfluː/)
loo/Lou (/ˈluː/)
knew/new (/ˈnjuː/)
gnu/nu (/ˈnuː/)
shoo/shoe/choux (/ˈʃuː/)
slue/slew (/sluː/)
sue/Sioux (/suː/)
to/too/(two/2) (/ˈtuː/)
who/whoo (/ˈhuː/)
pupil/pupal (/ˈpjuː.pəl/)
yew/you/ewe/U (/ˈjuː/)
Sound: (/uːd/)
crude/crewed (/kruːd/)
mood/mooed (/ˈmuːd/)
rude/rued (/ˈruːd/)
Sound: (/uːl/)
dual/duel (/ˈdjuː.əl/}})
yule/you'll (/ˈjuːl/)
Sound: (/uːm/)
toom/tomb (/ˈtuːm/)
Sound: (/uːp/)
troop/troupe (/ˈtruːp/)
Sound: (/uːz/)
bruise/brews (/ˈbruːz/)
cruise/crews/cruse (/ˈkruːz/)
ruse/rues (/ˈruːz/)
whose/who's (/ˈhuːz/)
use/yews/ewes/U's (/ˈjuːz/)


See also
Yod-dropping and coalescence

Notes on words[edit]

  • 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[edit]

  • Contracted words are included.
  • A few double-words are included. (A word can sound like two words in sequence)
  • Plural nouns and inflected verbs are included only where not already fully covered by lemma homophones.
  • Some well known proper names (first or last) are included, although this allows endless additions.

See also[edit]

Wikipedia

Further reading[edit]