Homophones Flashcards
affected/effected
Affected (verb, past tense of affect):
- Means to influence or have an impact on something.
- Example: “The storm affected the crops.”
Effected (verb, past tense of effect): - Means to cause something to happen or bring about a result. - Example: “The new policy effected significant changes in the company.”
aloud/allowed
Aloud (adverb):
- Means to speak in a voice that can be heard, as opposed to silently.
- Example: “She read the story aloud to the class.”
Allowed (verb, past tense of allow): - Means to permit or give permission for something. - Example: “He was allowed to leave early.”
based/baste
Based (adjective or verb):
- As an adjective, it refers to something being founded or grounded on a principle or fact.
- Example: “The argument was based on solid evidence.”
- As a verb (past tense of base), it means to use something as a foundation or starting point.
- Example: “He based his conclusion on the data.”
Baste (verb):
- Means to moisten food while cooking by pouring or brushing liquid over it, often to keep it from drying out.
- Example: “She basted the turkey with butter.”
bow/beau
Bow (noun/verb):
- As a noun: A curved weapon for shooting arrows or a decorative knot.
- Example: “He shot an arrow with his bow.”
- As a verb: To bend the body forward as a gesture of respect.
- Example: “She bowed before the audience.”
Beau (noun):
- A term for a male admirer or boyfriend.
- Example: “She introduced her beau to her family.”
bow/bough
Bow (noun/verb):
- As a noun: A curved weapon for shooting arrows or a decorative knot.
- Example: “He shot an arrow with his bow.”
- As a verb: To bend the body forward as a gesture of respect.
- Example: “She bowed before the audience.”
Bough (noun): - A large branch of a tree. - Example: “The boughs of the oak tree were heavy with leaves.”
brake/break
Brake (noun/verb):
• As a noun: A device used to slow down or stop a vehicle.
• Example: “The car’s brakes need to be repaired.”
• As a verb: To slow down or stop.
• Example: “He braked suddenly to avoid hitting the deer.”
Break (noun/verb): • As a verb: To separate into pieces or interrupt something. • Example: “She broke the vase by accident.” • As a noun: An interruption or gap. • Example: “They took a break during the meeting.”
buoy/boy
Buoy (noun/verb):
• As a noun: A floating object used as a marker or to signal a location in water.
• Example: “The buoy marked the edge of the safe swimming zone.”
• As a verb: To keep afloat or uplift.
• Example: “Her spirits were buoyed by the good news.”
Boy (noun):
• A male child or young man.
• Example: “The boy was playing in the park.”
cache/cash
Cache (noun):
• A hidden storage or reserve of something, often valuable.
• Example: “They discovered a cache of old coins.”
Cash (noun/verb):
• As a noun: Physical money (coins or paper currency).
• Example: “He paid for the meal in cash.”
• As a verb: To convert something, such as a check, into money.
• Example: “She cashed her paycheck.”
cannon/canon
Cannon (noun):
• A large, heavy gun, typically mounted and used in warfare.
• Example: “The soldiers fired the cannon at the fortress.”
Canon (noun):
• A set of rules, principles, or works considered as authoritative, often in literature, religion, or art.
• Example: “Shakespeare’s plays are part of the English literary canon.”
capital/capitol
Capital (noun/adjective):
• As a noun: The city where a government is based, or wealth used for investment.
• Example: “Paris is the capital of France.”
• Example: “He raised capital to start his business.”
• As an adjective: Related to wealth or principal importance.
• Example: “He committed a capital offense.”
Capitol (noun):
• A building where a legislative body meets, specifically in the U.S. (like the Capitol in Washington, D.C.).
• Example: “The protesters gathered outside the Capitol.”
carat/carrot/caret/karat
Carat (noun):
• A unit of weight for gemstones, especially diamonds (1 carat = 200 mg).
• Example: “The diamond weighed two carats.”
Carrot (noun):
• A vegetable that is typically orange and long.
• Example: “She added carrots to the stew.”
Caret (noun):
• A symbol (^) used in writing to indicate where something needs to be inserted.
• Example: “The editor placed a caret to indicate missing text.”
Karat (noun):
• A measure of the purity of gold (24 karats being pure gold).
• Example: “Her ring was made of 18-karat gold.”
chord/cord/cored
Chord (noun):
• A group of musical notes played together, creating harmony.
• Example: “He played a beautiful chord on the piano.”
Cord (noun):
• A long, thin, flexible material (like rope or string) used for binding or connecting.
• Example: “She tied the package with a cord.”
Cored (verb, past tense of core):
• Means to remove the central part, often referring to fruits.
• Example: “He cored the apples before slicing them.”
chute/shoot
Chute (noun):
• A passage or slide for moving things downward, or a parachute.
• Example: “The laundry was dropped down the chute.”
Shoot (verb):
• To fire a bullet, arrow, or similar projectile, or to take a photograph.
• Example: “He shot an arrow into the target.”
• As a noun: A new growth from a plant.
• Example: “The plant had new shoots in the spring.”
complacent/complaisant
Complacent (adjective):
• Feeling self-satisfied or smug, often without awareness of potential dangers or flaws.
• Example: “He was complacent about his grades, not realizing he was close to failing.”
Complaisant (adjective):
• Willing to please others or agree to their wishes; obliging.
• Example: “She was complaisant, always doing what others asked without complaint.”
complement/compliment
Complement (noun/verb):
• As a noun: Something that completes or goes well with something else.
• Example: “The wine was a perfect complement to the meal.”
• As a verb: To complete or enhance.
• Example: “The colors complement each other beautifully.”
Compliment (noun/verb):
• As a noun: A polite expression of praise or admiration.
• Example: “She gave him a compliment on his performance.”
• As a verb: To praise or express admiration.
• Example: “He complimented her on her excellent presentation.”
coolie/coulee
Coolie (noun, offensive):
• A derogatory term historically used for a laborer from Asia, especially India or China. It is now considered outdated and offensive.
• Example: “The word ‘coolie’ should not be used due to its offensive nature.”
Coulee (noun):
• A deep, dry ravine or a streambed, often found in desert or semi-arid regions.
• Example: “The hikers crossed a wide coulee before reaching the canyon.”
coral/choral
Coral (noun):
• A marine organism that forms reefs in warm, shallow ocean waters, or a pinkish-orange color.
• Example: “The coral reef is home to many species of fish.”
Choral (adjective):
• Related to a choir or group singing.
• Example: “The choral performance was magnificent.”
creak/creek
Creak (noun/verb):
• As a noun: A high-pitched or harsh sound made by something being moved or strained (e.g., a door, floorboards).
• Example: “The old chair made a loud creak when I sat down.”
• As a verb: To make a creaking sound.
• Example: “The door creaked as it slowly opened.”
Creek (noun):
• A small stream or a narrow, shallow waterway.
• Example: “They walked along the edge of the creek.”
cygnet/signet
Cygnet (noun):
• A young swan.
• Example: “The mother swan guided her cygnets across the pond.”
Signet (noun):
• A small seal, often on a ring, used for stamping a signature or as a symbol of authority.
• Example: “The king used a signet ring to seal the document.”
dam/damn
Dam (noun):
• A barrier constructed to hold back water, often creating a reservoir.
• Example: “The dam prevented the river from flooding the village.”
Damn (verb/interjection):
• As a verb: To condemn or curse.
• Example: “He felt damned by his bad luck.”
• As an interjection: A mild curse or expression of frustration.
• Example: “Damn! I forgot my keys.”
dane/deign
Dane (noun):
• A person from Denmark, or of Danish descent.
• Example: “He is a proud Dane, born and raised in Copenhagen.”
Deign (verb):
• To do something reluctantly or with a sense of superiority, often implying that the action is beneath one’s dignity.
• Example: “She wouldn’t deign to speak to her critics.”
defised/diffused
Defused (verb, past tense of defuse):
• To remove the fuse from a bomb or to calm a tense situation.
• Example: “The negotiator defused the conflict between the two groups.”
Diffused (verb, past tense of diffuse):
• To spread something widely over an area or among many people.
• Example: “The sunlight diffused softly through the curtains.”
disburse/disperse
Disburse (verb):
• To pay out money, often from a fund or account.
• Example: “The organization disbursed funds to the local charities.”
Disperse (verb):
• To scatter or spread out in different directions.
• Example: “The crowd dispersed after the concert ended.”
discreet/discrete
Discreet (adjective):
• Careful or tactful in one’s actions or speech to avoid attention or embarrassment.
• Example: “She was discreet in handling the sensitive information.”
Discrete (adjective):
• Separate or distinct; individually separate and distinct units.
• Example: “The project was divided into discrete stages.”
doze/does
Doze (verb/noun):
• As a verb: To take a light nap or fall asleep briefly.
• Example: “He dozed off during the movie.”
• As a noun: A brief, light sleep.
• Example: “I had a quick doze before dinner.”
Does (noun):
• The plural of doe, which refers to female deer.
• Example: “We spotted several does grazing in the meadow.”
