Which witch is which?

The biggest bug in spelling are those words that sound the same

We've (weave) all (awl) fallen victim to (two, too)these words that were born from this enigmatic language we (wee) call (caul) American English. Add to (two, too) that any regional pronunciation differences and you (yew) have a real(reel) spelling problem: example, in Texas hen, pen, and ten all rhyme with tin!

Below you will find a little list to help you out. I have not only alphabetize them but cross-referenced them as well.

If you come across words that are not on the list, please email them to me and I'll send you a 300 gps discovery fee!



A

a..............very short little insignificant English word
eh.............an interrogative utterance

acts...........things done
ax.............chopping tool

ad.............short for advertisement
add............short for addition

adds...........performs additions
ads............more than one advertisement
adze...........axe-like tool

ade............fruit beverage
aid............to assist
aide...........an assistant

aerie..........eagle's nest
airy...........breezy

aero...........of aircraft
arrow..........slender, pointed shaft

affect.........to change
effect.........result

ail............sick
ale............beer

aisle..........walkway
I'll...........contraction of "I will"
isle...........island

all............everything
awl............pointed scriber

allowed........permitted
aloud..........spoken

altar..........raised center of worship
alter..........to change

an.............a single instance
Ann............a woman's name

ant............insect
aunt...........parent's sister

ante...........preliminary bet
auntie.........sister of a parent

arc............portion of a circle
ark............vessel

ascent.........the climb
assent.........to agree

ate............past tense of eat
eight..........the number base of octal

auger..........a drill
augur..........foretell

aural..........of hearing
oral...........of the mouth

auricle........external part of the ear
oracle.........seer

away...........distant
aweigh.........just clear of the bottom

awed...........in a state of wonder
odd............not usual

aweful.........filled with awe
awful..........really bad
offal..........butchered entrails

aye............naval affirmative
eye............ocular organ
I..............oneself

B

bail...........bucket handle
bale...........bundle of hay

bailed.........pumping water out of a boat
baled..........to gather into a bale

bailee.........a person to whom goods are committed for custody or repair
bailey.........the outer wall of a castle
bailie.........a municipal officer in Scotland

bailer.........one who bails (water)
bailor.........a person that entrusts goods to a bailee
baler..........one who bales (hay)

bailing........pumping water out of a boat
baling.........wire used to tie bales

bait...........to torment
bate...........to lessen

baited.........past tense of bait
bated..........past tense of bate

baiting........tormenting
bating.........lessening

baize..........green felt
bays...........one or more enclosed arms of the ocean
beys...........one or more Turkish officials

bald...........hairless
balled.........made into a sphere
bawled.........cried aloud

ball...........a sphere
bawl...........to cry

band...........a group
banned.........forbidden

bard...........a poet
barred.........enclosed by poles

bare...........naked
bear...........wild ursine

bark...........outer sheath of a tree
barque.........square-rigged sailing ship

baron..........minor royalty
barren.........unable to bear children

Barry..........a man's name
berry..........small fruit
bury...........to take under

basal..........forming the base
basil..........an herb

base...........the bottom support for anything
bass...........the lowest musical pitch or range

based..........supported
baste..........to swab with liquid during cooking

bases..........what baseball players like to steal
basis..........principal constituent of anything
basses.........many four-stringed guitars

bask...........to warm oneself pleasantly
basque.........tightfitting bodice or tunic
Basque.........people of the Pyrenees

bat............a blind, flying rodent
batt...........a flat pad

baud...........bits per second
bawd...........brothel manager

bay............an enclosed arm of the ocean
bey............a Turkish official

be.............to exist
bee............pollinating buzzer

beach..........where i want to be
beech..........a type of tree

bean...........a legume
been...........past tense of be

beat...........to hit
beet...........edible red root

beau...........male friend
bow............a curve or bend; double-slipped reef knot

beaut..........slang for beauty, beautiful
butte..........steep sided hill

been...........past tense of be
bin............a box or container

beer...........universally brewed comfort food
bier...........a temporary frame for a coffin

bel............Indian thorn tree
Bel............Babylonian god
bell...........ding ding
belle..........beautiful woman

berth..........anchorage
birth..........your method of arrival

besot..........to get drunk
besought.......past tense of beseech

better.........superior
bettor.........one who bets

bight..........middle of a rope
bite...........a mouthful
byte...........eight bits(computer term)

billed.........has a bill
build..........to construct

bit............past tense of bite
bitt...........large cleat for tying up ships

blew...........past tense of blow
blue...........color of California sky

bloc...........an alliance
block..........square object

boar...........wild pig
Boer...........a South African of Dutch descent
boor...........tasteless buffoon
bore...........not interesting

board..........a plank
bored..........not interested

boarder........lodger who gets meals, too
border.........perimeter

bode...........an omen
bowed..........curved

bold...........brave
bowled.........knocked over

bolder.........more courageous
boulder....l...arge rock

bole...........trunk
boll...........round seed pod
bowl...........dish

boos...........disparaging sounds from fans
booze..........whiskey

born...........brought into life
borne..........past participle of bear
bourn..........a small stream or boundary

borough........township
burrow.........dig into the ground

bough..........tree branch
bow............front of a ship; respectful bend

bouy...........navigational aid
boy............male child

bra............brassiere
braw...........well-groomed

braid..........a weave of three strands
brayed.........a donkey cried

braise.........cook with oil and water
brays..........loud, harsh cry

brake..........stopping device
break..........to split apart

breach.........to break through
breech.........the back part

bread..........a loaf
bred...........past tense of breed

brewed.........fermented
brood..........family

brews..........more than one beer
bruise.........a contusion

bridal.........pertaining to brides
bridle.........horse's headgear

broach.........to raise a subject
brooch.........an ornament fastened to clothes

brows..........multiple foreheads
browse.........grazing

bundt..........type of cake
bunt...........hit a pitch without swinging

burger.........meat sandwich
burgher........merchant

bus............large multi-passenger vehicle
buss...........a kiss

bussed.........kissed
bust...........head and shoulders sculpture

but............excepting
butt...........the thick end

buy............to purchase
by.............near
bye............farewell

buyer..........one who purchases
byre...........a cow barn

C

cache..........hidden storage
cash...........legal tender

cached.........hidden away
cashed.........converted to legal tender

calendar.......chart of days
calender.......paper press

call...........to summon
caul...........amnionic membrane
col............a mountain pass

caller.........one who calls
collar.........my cat has collar ID

can't..........contraction of "can not"
cant...........a bevel

cannon.........big gun
canon..........body of law

canter.........a moderate gallop
cantor.........singer

canvas.........rough cloth
canvass........to examine thoroughly

capital........most important
capitol........center of government

carat..........unit of weight for precious stones, equal to 200 milligrams
caret..........proofreader's insertion mark
carrot.........edible orange root
karat..........one 24th part of otherwise pure gold

carol..........Christmas song
carrel..........study enclosure

carpal..........a bone of the carpus
carpel..........a pistil

cast...........to throw
caste..........a social class

caster.........one who throws
castor.........beaver's smelly gland

cause..........generative force
caws...........sounds of crows

cay............a low island
key............opens locks
quay...........a wharf

cedar..........an evergreen tree
seeder.........one who broadcasts seeds

cede...........to give
seed...........part of a plant from which a new one grows

ceding.........giving
seeding........planting

ceiling........top of the room
sealing........to close a package or envelope

cell...........a small room
sell...........to exchange for money

cellar.........under a house
seller.........one who sells

censer.........incense dish
censor.........bad people who fear knowledge
sensor.........a device which detects

census.........numbering
senses.........faculties

cent...........one hundredth of a dollar
scent..........an aroma
sent...........dispatched

cents..........hundredths of a dollar
scents.........many things to smell
sense..........detection equipment

cere...........waxy fleshy covering at the base of the upper beak in some birds
sear...........to scorch
seer...........a prophet
sere...........natural succession of plant or animal communities

cereal.........grains
serial.........numbers in sequence

Ceres..........Roman Goddess of agriculture
series.........a sequence of things

cession........giving up
session........a group sitting

chalk..........calcareous earthy substance
chock..........wedge to keep wheels from rolling

chance.........happenstance
chants.........more than one litany

chard..........spinach-like vegetable
charred........burnt

chased.........quickly followed
chaste.........virginal, pure

check..........a tic mark, or personal promisory note
Czech..........from Czechoslovakia

chews..........masticating
choose.........to select

Chile..........a South American country
chili..........dried pod of red pepper
chilly.........uncomfortably cool

choir......church singers
quire......the twentieth part of a ream of paper

choler.....yellow bile
collar.....around your neck

choral.....by a chorus
coral......marine polyp skeleton

chorale....a choir
corral.....a pen for horses

chord......three tones in harmony
cord.......very light rope
cored......divested of its central part

chute......inclined trough
shoot......to project an object

cite.......to refer to
sight......vision
site.......a location

cited......referenced
sighted....visually identified
sited......located

cites......past tense of cite
sights.....tourist rationale
sites......more than one location

clack......a chattering sound
claque.....a group hired to applaud, sycophants

Claus......fat, jolly guy with presents
clause.....contractual unit
claws......big fingernails

clew......sheet cringle on a sail
clue......a hint

click.....ticking noise
clique....exclusive group

climb.....ascending
clime.....climate

close.....to shut
clothes...garments

coal......black mineral
cole......plants in the crucifer family

coaled....supplied with coal
cold......not supplied with coal, opposite of          warm

coarse....rough
course....path of travel

coat......wear it for warmth
cote......small animal shed

coax......persuade
cokes.....more than one soft drink

cocks.....more than one male bird
cox.......a coxswain
Cox.......a variety of eating apple

coddling...tenderly treating
codling....small, unripe apple

coffer.....a strongbox; decorative, sunken          ceiling panels
cougher....one who coughs

coin......money
quoin.....corner stone

colonel...military officer
kernel....seed

complacence.....self-satisfaction
complaisance....willingness to please

complacent......self-satified
complaisant.....willing to please

complement......allotment
compliment......encomium

conch.....marine mollusk
conk......blow to the head

coo.......a soft murmuring sound
coup......a successful stroke, military takeover

copes.....gets along with adversity
copse.....a stand of trees

copped....swiped
copt......a native Egyptian to a Roman

cops......police officers
copse.....a small wood

core......inner part
corps.....body

cosign....to sign in addition
cosine....sine of the complement

council...group of leaders
counsel...advisor

craft.....a manual occupation
kraft.....a strong paper made from wood pulp

crater....impact hole
krater....ancient Greek jar

Crays.....more than one supercomputer
craze.....sensation needed to buy more than one          supercomputer

creak.....to squeak
creek.....small stream

crewed....served by a crew
crude.....coarse, unsophisticated

crewel....embroidery yarn
cruel.....merciless

crews.....more than one crew
cruise....a sea journey

cue.......a signal
Kew.......home of the famous English gardens
queue.....a waiting line

currant...small berry
current...of the present

curser....one who swears
cursor....on-screen positional indicator

cygnet....a young swan
signet....an authenticating seal

cymbal....percussive brass dish
symbol....a representation

D

dam.......holds back water
damn......a curse

dammed....prevented from flowing
damned....cursed

darn......to mend
darne.....a fish steak

days......more than one day
daze......to bewilder

dear......beloved
deer......Bambi, venison

dew.......morning condensation
do........to perform
due.......payable

die.......to become dead
dye.......coloring agent

died......passed away
dyed......colored

dies......passing away
dyes......colors

dine......to eat
dyne......unit of energy

dire......desperate
dyer......one who dyes

disc......a phonograph record
disk......a round, plate-shaped object

discreet...confidential
discrete...individual

discussed...talked about
disgust.....sickening

do........first note of diatonic scale
doe.......a female deer
dough.....uncooked bread

doc.......a physician
dock......where a boat is kept

does......several female deer
doughs....several uncooked breads
doze......to nap

done......completed
dun.......demand money

dos.......opposite of don'ts
dues......membership payments

draft.....a preliminary written version
draught...a gust of wind; depth of water needed to float a ship

dual......two things
duel......a fight between two over honor

E

e'er see: air

earl.....British nobleman
URL......Internet address

earn.....to come to deserve
urn......a jar

effect, see: affect

eh, see: a

eight, see: ate

elicit...to draw out
illicit..unlawful

elude....to escape from
illude...to deceive

epic.....a narrative poem or story
epoch....a noteworthy period in history

ere, see: air
err, see: air

eunuchs...men unable to serve all of humanity
Unix......operating system unable to serve all of humanity

ewe.......female sheep
yew.......a type of tree
you.......the second person

ewes......more than one female sheep
use.......to apply
yews......more than one yew tree

eye, see: aye

eyelet....small hole for laces
islet.....small island

F

facts.....objective things
fax.......obsolete, but widespread, image          transmission technology

fain......willing
feign.....pretend to be affected

faint.....pass out
feint.....a weak, misdirected attack to confuse          the enemy

fair......even-handed
fare......payment

fairing...streamlining
faring....the state of progress

fairy.....imaginary magic person
ferry.....river-crossing boat

faker.....a deceiver
fakir.....a Hindu ascetic

farrow....a litter of pigs
pharoah...Egyptian king

faux......fake
foe.......enemy

fay.......a fairy
Faye......a woman's name
fey.......strange and otherwordly

fays......more than one fairy
faze......to disconcert

faze......to stun
phase.....a part of the sequence

fazed.....stunned
phased....done in sequential parts

feat......an accomplishment
feet......look down

ferrate...a salt containing iron and oxygen
ferret....a domesticated polecat

feted.....celebrated
fetid.....stinking

few.......not many
phew......expression of relief

file......a folder for holding papers
phial.....a small glass bottle

fills.....plural of fill
fils......one one-thousandth of an Iraqi dinar

filter....keep the bad stuff from passing          through
philter...a love potion

find......to locate
fined.....to have to pay a parking ticket

finish....to complete
Finnish...from Finland

fir.......evergreen tree
fur.......animal hair
furr......to separate with strips of wood

fisher....one who fishes
fissure...a crack

flair.....verve
flare.....to spread

flea......parasitic insect
flee......to run away

flecks....many tiny specks
flex......to bend

flew......past tense of fly
flu.......short for influenza
flue......chimney pipe

Flo.......a girl's name
floe......sheet of floating ice
flow......to glide along

flocks....more than one group of birds
phlox.....a scented plant

floes.....sheets of floating ice
flows.........glides along

floor..........what one walks on
fluor..........something that glows
flour..........powdered grain
flower.........a bloom

for............in place of
fore...........in front
four...........number after three

forego.........to precede
forgo..........to abstain from

foreword.......introduction to a book
forward........the facing direction

fort...........a fortification
forte..........a person's strong point (Americanized pronunciation)

forth..........a direction
fourth.........following the third

foul...........grossly offensive to the senses
fowl...........domestic hen or rooster

frees..........releasing
freeze.........very cold
frieze.........a wall decoration

friar..........a monk
fryer..........small chicken

G

gaff...........a barbed spear
gaffe..........a mistake

gage...........a pledge or security deposit
gauge..........instrument for measuring

gait...........a manner of walking or running
gate...........fence door

gaited.........describing a walking horse
gated..........having a gate

galley.........ship's kitchen
gally..........to frighten or terrify

gallop.........horse's fastest gait
galop..........a round dance

gays...........a frisky gathering
gaze...........a languid look

gene...........a chromosome
jean...........cotton twill

gild...........to coat with gold
gilled.........having gills
guild..........a craft society

gilt...........gold-plated
guilt..........culpable

gin............alcoholic beverage
jinn...........plural of jinni, a Muslim spirit or demon

gnawed.........chewed
nod............head tilting

gneiss.........coarse-grained metamorphic rock of feldspar, quartz and mica
nice............pleasant

gnu.............African antelope
knew............past tense of know
new.............not old, unused


gnus............several antelope
news............timely information

gored...........pierced by an animal's horns
gourd...........fleshy fruit with hard skin

gorilla.........large ape
guerrilla.......irregular soldier

grade...........a slope
grayed..........turned gray

graft...........to attach
graphed.........plotted

grate...........a lattice
great...........extremely good

grays...........more than one shade of black
graze...........to eat grass while wandering

grease..........lubricant
Greece..........Mediterranean country

greave..........leg armor
grieve..........to mourn

greaves.........more than one greave
grieves.........to mourn

grill...........to sear cook
grille..........an iron gate or door

groan...........reaction to hearing a pun
grown...........has gotten larger

guessed.........past tense of guess
guest...........a visitor

guide...........one who shows the way
guyed...........secured with a rope or wire

guise...........appearance
guys............slang for more than one male

gunnel..........small, eel-shaped marine fish; butterfish
gunwale.........upper part of sides of a boat


gym.............sports room
Jim.............nickname for James


H

hail............frozen rain
hale............robust health

hair............grows from your head
hare............rabbit

hairy...........having much hair
Harry...........a man's name
harry...........to harass or hunt

hall............a large room
haul............to carry

halve...........break in two
have............to hold in possession

halves..........more than one half
haves...........those who possess

hammock.........rope bed
hummock.........low, rounded hill

hangar..........garage for airplanes
hanger..........from which things hang

Harold..........a man's name
herald..........a horn blower

hart............a stag
heart...........blood pump

haut............French for high, as in "haut couture"
ho..............an expression of admiration or surprise
hoe.............garden tool

hay.............grass
hey.............a shout

hays............more than one type of hay
haze............atmospheric obscuration due to water or dust

he'd............contraction of "he would"
heed............to pay attention

he'll...........contraction of "he will"
heal............to make well, to cure of disease
hill............smaller than a mountain
heel............hind part of foot, hind part of bread

hear............to listen
here............at this location

heard...........listened to
herd............a group of ruminants

heigh...........an exclamation
hi..............a greeting
hie.............to go quickly
high............way up

heir, see: air
heroin..........narcotic
heroine.........female hero

hew.............to chop
hue.............a color
Hugh............a man's name

hide............animal skin
hied............hurried

higher..........farther up
hire............to employ

him............third person male pronoun
hymn ..........religious song

hoar...........a white frost
whore..........a prostitute

hoard..........a great stash
horde..........a great many people
whored.........prostituted

hoarse.........rough voice
horse..........equine


hoes...........more than one garden weeding tool
hose...........tube for watering garden weeds

hold...........to grip
holed..........full of holes


hole...........round opening
whole..........entirety

holey..........perforated
holy...........with religious significance
wholly.........completely

hostel.........inexpensive lodging for travelers
hostile........unfriendly

hour...........sixty minutes
our............possessed by us

hours..........time measurement
ours...........belonging to us

humerus........arm bone
humorous.......funny


I

I, see: aye

I'll, see: aisle

idle...........not moving forward or backward
idol...........object of worship
idyl...........paradise


illicit, see: elicit

illude, see: elude

in.............expressing inclusion
inn............hotel

inc............short for incorporated
ink............writing fluid


incite.........to provoke
insight........understanding


innocence......a state without guilt
innocents......more than one innocent

inns...........hotels
ins............those on the inside


isle, see: aisle

islet, see: eyelet

it's...........contraction of "it is"
its............possessive pronoun


J

jam............to smash together
jamb...........side post of a doorway

jean, see: gene

jewel..........precious stone
joule..........unit of energy measure

Jim, see: gym

jinn, see: gin

juggler........one who juggles
jugular........artery to head

K

karat, see: carat

kernel, see: colonel

Kew, see: cue

key, see: cay

knap..........crest of a hill; break with a hammer
nap...........a short sleep

knead.........working bread dough
need..........must have

knew, see: gnu

knickers......woman's underwear
nickers.......those who nick

knight........chivalrous man
night.........darkness


knit..........interlocking loops of yarn
nit...........louse egg

knits.........verb form of knit
nits..........louse eggs

knob..........handle
nob...........rich person

knock.........to rap
nock..........a notch in an arrow

knot..........fastening with cord
naught........nothing
not...........negation

know..........to possess knowledge
no............negation

knows.........singular verb form of know
noes..........more than one negative
nose..........facial extremity separating your eyes from your lips

kraft, see: craft

krater, see: crater

L

lacks.........does not have
lax...........loose discipline

lain..........past tense of lay
lane..........narrow road

lam...........headlong flight
lamb..........baby sheep

lay...........to recline
lei...........a flower necklace

lays..........to recline
laze..........to recline with extreme prejudice
leis..........several flower necklaces

lea...........a meadow
lee...........downwind
li............about one-third of a mile in China

leach.........washing action
leech.........sucking parasite

lead..........heavy metal
led...........guided

leak..........accidental escape of liquid
leek..........variety of onion

lean..........angle of repose
lien..........a claim on property

leas..........more than one meadow
lees..........the dregs

leased........rented
least.........the minimum

lends.........allows to borrow
lens..........convex glass

lessen........to reduce
lesson........a segment of learning

liar..........tells falsehoods
lyre..........stringed instrument

lichen........a fungus among us
liken.........to compare

lie...........an untruth
lye...........a caustic

lieu..........instead
loo...........British toilet
Lou...........short for Louis

lightening....removing weight or darkness
lightning.....static electricity from the sky

limb..........tree branch, extremety
limn..........delineate

limbs.........arms or legs, tree branches
limns.........to illuminate, as in a manuscript

links.........pieces of chain
lynx..........feral cat

literal.......taking words in their primary sense
littoral......having to do with the shore

lo............interjection
low...........not high

load..........cargo
lode..........mineral vein

load..........what is carried
lowed.........a cow mooed

loan..........allow to borrow
lone..........by itself

loch..........a lake
lock..........a security device

lochs.........more than one lake
locks.........more than one security device
lox...........smoked salmon

loon..........a water fowl
lune..........a crescent shape

loop..........a circular pattern
loupe.........a jeweler's monocular magnifier

loos..........several British toilets
lose..........fail to win

loot..........ill-gotten gains
lute..........stringed instrument

lumbar........lower back
lumber........dimensional wood

M

mach..........speed of sound
mock..........parody

made..........accomplished
maid..........young woman

mail..........postal delivery
male..........masculine animal

main..........primary
mane..........back hair

maize.........corn
maze..........puzzle

mall..........hallway
maul..........shred
moll..........gangster's girlfriend

manner........method
manor.........lord's house

marc..........coarse brandy
mark..........a sign
marque........a license to privateer; a brand

marquee.......a rooflike projection over a theatre entrance
marquis.......a nobleman ranking between a duke and a count

marry.........to join in matrimony
merry.........happy

marshal.......to gather
martial.......warlike

massed........grouped together
mast..........sail pole

Mays..........several spring months
maze..........a labyrinth

me............myself
mi............musical note

mean..........average
mein..........manner

meat..........animal flesh
meet..........to connect
mete..........a boundary

medal.........an award
meddle........to interfere

men's.........owned by males
mends.........to repair

metal.........ductile element
mettle........moxie, courage

mewl..........to whimper
mule..........offspring of female horse and male donkey

mews..........stables
muse..........creative inspiration

might.........possible
mite..........tiny creature

mince.........chop finely
mints.........aromatic candies

mind..........thinking unit
mined.........looked for ore

miner..........one who digs
minor..........small

missal.........Catholic book used in Mass
missile........projectile

missed.........not hit
mist...........fog

misses.........young ladies
Mrs............married lady

moan...........to groan
mown...........the lawn is freshly cut

moat...........water around a castle
mote...........a speck

mode...........condition
mowed..........a lawn in a well-trimmed condition

moiré..........optical illusion
moray..........eel

mood...........emotional state
mooed..........what the loquacious cow did

moor...........swampy coastland; to anchor
more...........additional

moose..........a large elk
mousse.........dessert of whipped cream and eggs

moral..........a social imperative
morel..........a mushroom

morn...........AM
mourn..........remember the dead

morning........AM
mourning.......remembering the dead

muscle.........fibrous, contracting tissue
mussel.........a bivalve mollusc

muscles........more than one muscle
mussels........more than one mussel

mussed.........made messy
must...........required

mustard........spicy yellow sauce
mustered.......assembled for roll call

N

nap, see: knap

naught, see: knot
naval..........pertaining to ships and the sea and some oranges
navel..........pertaining to the belly button

nay............no
neigh..........a horse's cry

nays...........votes against
neighs.........a horse vocalizes

neap...........the lowest tide
neep...........a turnip

need, see: knead

new, see: gnu

news, see: gnus

nice, see: gneiss

nickers, see: knickers

night, see: knight

nit, see: knit

nits, see: knits

no, see: know

nob, see: knob

nock, see: knock

nod, see: gnawed

noes, see: knows

none...........not one
nun............woman of God

nose, see: knows

not, see: knot

O

oar............boat propulsion system
or.............comparitive article
ore............mineral-laden dirt


odd, see: awed

offal, see: aweful

oh.............interjection
owe............to be indebted

ohs............more than one letter "O"
owes...........in debt

one............singularity
won............victorious

oohs...........as in "oohs and ahs"
ooze...........slime

oracle, see: auricle

oral, see: aural

ordinance......a decree
ordnance.......artillery

ought, see: aught

our, see: hour

ours, see: hours

overdo.........carried to excess
overdue........past time for payment


P

paced..........measured by footsteps
paste..........thick glue

packed.........placed in a container
pact...........agreement

pail...........bucket
pale...........light colored

pain...........it hurts
pane...........a single panel of glass

pair...........a set of two
pare...........cutting down
pear...........bottom-heavy fruit

palate.........taste
pallet.........a platform for transporting goods; bed
pallette.......a selection of paint

pall...........to become wearisome
Paul...........a man's name
pawl...........locks a ratchet

passed.........approved; moved on
past...........before now

patience.......being willing to wait
patients.......doctor's customer

pause..........to hesitate
paws...........cat transportation

pea............round, green legume
pee............urinate, slang

peace..........free of war or calamity
piece..........a part of

peak...........mountain top
peek...........secret look
pique...........ruffled pride

peal...........ringing sound
peel...........fruit outer covering, the act of removing a covering

pealed.........rang with sound as with a bell
peeled.........having removed the covering

pearl..........round, luminescent gem from an oyster
purl...........to edge with a chain of small loops as in knitting

pedal..........foot control
peddle.........to sell

peer...........an equal
pier...........wharf

pencil.........writing implement
pensil.........thin, swallowtail flag

per............for each
purr...........endearing cat hum

pharoah, see: farrow

phase, see: faze

phased, see: fazed

phew, see: few

phial, see: file

philter, see: filter

phlox, see: flocks
pi.............3.1416
pie............filled crust pastry

picnic.........outdoor meal
pyknic.........physiological type with thick neck, large abdomen and short limbs

pieced.........assembled from pieces
piste..........a ski run of compacted snow

pincer.........claw-like gripping action
pincher........one who pinches
pinscher.......terrier

pistil.........seed-bearing organ of a flower
pistol.........hand gun

place..........a location
plaice.........a flounder

plain..........not fancy
plane..........a surface

plait..........braid
plate..........a dish

planar.........flat
planer.........one who planes

pleas..........crys for help
please.........good manners

pleural........related to lungs
plural.........more than one

plum...........purple fruit
plumb..........straight up and down

polar..........relating to the North or South poles
poler..........one who uses a pole

Pole...........a person from Poland
pole...........big stick
poll...........a voting

poled..........a pole was used
polled.........lacking horns

pone...........the dealer's opponent in two-handed card games
pony...........a small horse

poor...........no money
pore...........careful study; microscopic hole
pour...........to flow freely

popery.........a disparaging term for Catholics
potpourri......a miscellaneous collection

praise.........to commend
prays..........petition to God
preys..........hunts

pray...........worship God
prey...........hunt

precedence.....priority
precedents.....established course of action
presidents.....commanders-in-chief

presence.......the state of being present
presents.......gifts

pride..........ego
pryed..........opened with force

pries..........wedging open
prize..........the reward

prince.........son of the King
prints.........impressions

principal......head of school
principle......causative force

profit.........money earned
prophet........seer

pros...........multiple experts
prose..........ordinary language

psi............twenty-third letter of Greek alphabet
sigh...........sad and weary breath
xi.............fourteenth letter of Greek alphabet


Q

quarts.........several fourths-of-gallons
quartz.........crystalline rock


quay, see: cay

queue, see: cue

quince.........small, round fruit
quints.........multiple quintuplets


quire, see: choir

quoin, see: coin

R

rabbet.........a groove cut in a board
rabbit.........small mammal

rack...........shelf
wrack..........wreckage

racket.........illegal moneymaking scheme
racquet........woven bat for tennis

rain...........precipitation
reign..........sovereign rule
rein...........horse's steering wheel


raise..........elevate
rays...........thin beams of light
raze...........to tear down completely
("raise" is the antonym of "raze")

rap............a sharp knock
wrap...........to encase in cloth

rapped.........knocked sharply
rapt...........spellbound
wrapped........encased in cloth

ray............arrow of light
re.............musical note

read...........having knowledge from reading
red............a primary color

read...........to get the meaning by looking
rede...........advice
reed...........tall, thin water plant

reading........what you are doing now
reeding........a small semicylindrical moulding or ornamentation

reads..........gets the meaning by looking
reedsmore than one aquatic plant

real...........authentic
reel...........armature for winding, a type of group dance

recede.........to move backward
reseed.........to plant again

reck...........to care
wreck..........a ruin

reek...........smells bad
wreak..........to inflict

resinate.......to impregnate with resin
resonate.......sympathetic vibration

resisters......protesters
resistors......electrical restrictors

rest...........stop working
wrest..........take away

retch..........call Ralph on the porcelain telephone
wretch.........a ragamuffin

review.........a general survey or assessment
revue..........a series of theatrical sketches or songs

rheum..........watery discharge of mucous
room...........partitioned space

rheumy.........having a watery discharge of mucous
roomie.........colloquialism for "roommate"
roomy..........lots of space

rho............seventeenth letter of Greek alphabet
roe............fish eggs
row............aisle; pull an oar

rhumb..........a constant compass direction
rum............liquor distilled from sugar cane

rhyme..........a verse with regular recurrence of sounds
rime...........frost

rigger.........one who rigs
rigor..........discipline

right..........correct
rite...........ritual
wright.........a maker
write..........to inscribe

ring...........circle
wring..........twisting

rise...........to stand up
ryes...........varieties of grain

road...........a broad trail
rode...........past tense of ride
rowed..........to propel a boat by oars

roam...........to wander
Rome...........capital of Italy

roil...........to make turbid
royal..........worthy of a king or queen

role...........part to play
roll...........rotate

rood...........a cross
rude...........coarse

roomer.........a tenant
rumor..........gossip

root...........subterranean part of a plant
route..........path of travel

rose...........a brush or shrublike flower, a pink color
rows...........linear arrangement

rot............decay
wrought........made


rote...........by memory
wrote..........past tense of write

rough..........coarse
ruff...........pleated collar

rout...........to force out
route..........path of travel

roux...........cooked butter and flour
rue............regret

rude...........impolite
rued...........regretted

rye............grain
wry............twisted


S

sachet.........a small bag containing perfumed powder
sashay.........to strut or flounce

sacks..........bags
sax............short for saxophone

sail...........wind powered water travel
sale...........the act of selling

sane...........mentally normal
seine..........fishing net

saner..........more mentally normal than others
seiner.........one who fishes with a net

saver..........one who saves
savor..........to relish a taste

sawed..........cut timber
sod............turf

scene..........visual location
seen...........past tense of saw

scent, see: cent

scents, see: cents

scull..........rowing motion
skull..........head bone

sea............ocean
see............to look

seal...........to close
seel...........to close someone's eyes

sealing, see: ceiling

seam...........row of stitches
seem...........appears

seamen.........sailors
semen..........male discharge

seams..........more than one rows of stitching
seems..........it appears to be

sear...........scorched
seer...........a person who sees
sear, see: cere

seas...........oceans
sees...........looks
seize..........to grab

sects..........religious factions
sex............if you have to ask, you're too young

seed, see: cede

seeder, see: cedar

seeding, see: ceding

seek...........to look for
Sikh...........Hindu religious sect

seer, see: cere

sell, see: cell

seller, see: cellar

sense, see: cents

senses, see: census

sensor, see: censer

sent, see: cent

sere, see: cere

serf...........slave
surf...........breaking waves

serge..........strong twilled fabric
surge..........forceful push

serial, see: cereal

series, see: Ceres

session, see: cession

sew............needle and thread
so.............in the manner shown
sol............musical note
sow............broadcasting seeds

sewer..........one who sews
sower..........one who sows

sewer..........waste drain
suer...........one who sues

shake..........vibrate
sheik..........Arab prince

shall..........is allowed
shell..........aquatic exoskeleton

she'll.........contraction of "she will"
shill..........a decoy

shear..........to cut or wrench
sheer..........thin; abrupt turn

shears.........cuts or wrenches; scissors
sheers.........abruptly turns

sheave.........pulley
shiv...........knife

shoe...........footwear
shoo..........."go away"

shoes..........more than one shoe
shoos..........sends away

shoot, see: chute

sic............to set upon
sick...........ill

sics...........sets upon
six............whole number

side...........lateral
sighed.........breathed sorrowfully

sigh, see: psi

sighs..........multiple sad and weary breaths
size...........magnitude

sight, see: cite

sighted, see: cited

sights, see: cites

sign...........displayed board bearing information
sine...........reciprocal of the cosecant

signet, see: cygnet

sink...........to submerge
synch..........together in time

Sioux..........tribe of native Americans
sou............French coin worth five centimes
sough..........soft sound
sue............bring civil action

site, see: cite

sited, see: cited

sites, see: cites

slay...........kill
sleigh.........snow carriage

sleight........cunning skill
slight.........not much

slew...........past tense of slay
slough.........bog
slue...........to swing around

sloe...........blackthorn berries
slow...........not fast

soar...........fly
sore...........hurt

soared.........to have sailed through the air
sword..........long fighting blade

solace.........comfort
soulless.......lacking a soul

sole...........only
soul...........immortal part of a person

some...........a few
sum............result of addition

son............male child
sun............star

sonny..........diminutive for male child
sunny..........lit by the sun

soot...........black residue of burning
suit...........clothes

sordid.........squalid
sorted.........arranged

spade..........shovel
spayed.........to sterilize a female animal

spoor..........trail of an animal
spore..........single cell reproductive body

staid..........reserved
stayed.........remained

stair..........a step
stare..........look intently

stake..........wooden pole
steak..........slice of meat

statice........an astringent herb
status.........position with regard to law

stationary.....not moving
stationery.....writing paper

steal..........take unlawfully
steel..........iron alloy

step...........a measure taken
steppe.........a level, grassy, unforested plain

stile..........narrow passage
style..........mode

stoop..........a small porch
stoup..........a drinking cup

storey.........the horizontal divisions of a building
story..........a narrative tale

straight.......not crooked
strait.........narrow waterway

succor.........relief
sucker.........one who sucks

suede..........split leather
swayed.........curved; convinced

suite..........ensemble
sweet..........sugary

summary........a statement giving only the main points
summery........like summer

sundae.........ice cream with syrup on it
Sunday.........first day of the week

symbol, see: cymbal

T

tach...........short for tachometer
tack...........small nail

tacks..........small nails
tax............governmental tithe

tail...........spinal appendage
tale...........story

tailer.........one who hauls in on a ship's line
tailor.........one who makes clothes

taper..........wedge-shaped
tapir..........hoglike, Malaysian mammal

tare...........allowance for the weight of packing materials
tear...........to rip

taught.........past tense of teach
taut...........stretched tight

tea............herbal infusion
tee............golfball prop
ti.............musical note

team...........a group working together
teem...........to swarm

teaming........a fortuitous pairing
teeming........a swarming

tear...........eyeball lubricant
tier...........a horizontal row

teas...........more than one herbal infusion
tease..........tantalize
tees...........more than one tee

tenner.........English slang for a ten pound note
tenor..........tendency

tense..........nervous
tents..........more than one temporary shelter

tern...........a shorebird
terne..........alloy of lead and tin
turn...........rotate

Thai...........from Thailand
tie............a draw

the............denoting persons already mentioned
thee...........objective case of thou

their..........belonging to them
there..........a place
they're........contraction of "they are"

threw..........to propel by hand
through........from end to end

throe..........a spasm of pain
throw..........to discharge through the air

throes.........spasms of pain
throws.........discharging through the air

throne.........the royal seat
thrown.........was hurled

thyme..........herb
time...........natures way of keeping everything from happening at once

tic............twitch
tick...........small noise; parasitic bug

ticks..........the sounds of a clock
tics...........more than one twitch

tide...........periodic ebb and flow of oceans
tied...........passed tense of tie

tighten........to make tighter
titan..........a giant

timber.........wood for building
timbre.........musical quality

tire...........round, rubber things on your car
tyer...........one who ties

to.............toward
too............also
two............a couple

toad...........frog
toed...........having toes
towed..........pulled ahead

tocsin.........an alarm
toxin..........a poison

tocsins........more than one alarm
toxins.........more than one poisons

toe............forepart of the foot
tow............to pull ahead

told...........what was spoken
tolled.........a bell was rung

tole...........lacquered metalware
toll...........a tax or charge

ton............2000 lbs.
Tun............a large cask

tongue.........mouth muscle
tung...........Chinese tree and its oil(similar to linseed)

toon...........cartoon personality
tune...........song

tort...........a sweet cake for lawyers
torte..........a sweet multi-layered cake

tough..........difficult
tuff...........a stratified, porous rock

tracked........having tracks
tract..........a plot of land

tray...........a platter
trey...........three

troop..........a company of soldiers
troupe.........a company of actors

trooper........a private soldier
trouper........a staunch colleague or actor

troopers.......several soldiers
troupers.......multiple actors, or allies

trussed........tied up
trust..........faith

U

Unix, see: eunuchs

URL, see: earl

urn, see: earn

use, see: ewes

V

vain...........worthless
vane...........flat piece moving with the air
vein...........blood vessel

vale...........valley
veil...........gauzy fabric, fabric covering

vary...........to change
very...........extremely

verses.........paragraphs
versus.........against

vial...........narrow glass container
vile...........despicable
viol...........stringed instrument

vice...........bad habit
vise...........bench-mounted clamp

W

WACs...........members of the Women's Army Corps
wax............candle stuff
whacks.........several blows

wade...........walk in shallow water
weighed........past tense of weigh

wail...........a cry
wale...........welt; corduroy ridge
whale..........large oceanic mammal

wain...........a wagon
wane...........decrease
Wayne..........a man's name

waist..........between ribs and hips
waste..........make ill use of

wait...........remain in readiness
weight.........an amount of heaviness

waive..........give up rights
wave...........undulating motion

waiver.........contract for giving up rights
waver..........rocking motion

Wales..........Western division of UK
wales..........corduroy ridges
whales.........a pod of ocean mammals

walk...........perambulate
wok............Chinese cooking pan

walks..........moves by foot
woks...........plural form of wok

want...........desire
wont...........accustomed

war............large scale armed conflict
wore...........past tense of wear

ware...........merchandise
wear...........attire
where..........a place

warn...........to advise of a hazard
worn...........displaying evidence of use

warrantee......one who is protected by a guarantee
warranty.......a guarantee

warship........naval implement of destruction
worship........revere in a religious manner

wary...........cautious
wherry.........light row boat

way............path or direction
weigh..........to measure weight
whey...........watery part of milk

we.............first person plural
wee............very small

we'd...........contraction of "we would"
weed...........like how our flowers won't grow

we'll..........contraction of "we will"
wheel..........what we keep reinventing

we're..........contraction of "we are"
weir...........a low dam, or a fence in a river for catching fish

we're..........contraction of "we are"
were...........past tense plural of "to be"
whir...........prolonged swish or buzz

we've..........contraction of "we have"
weave..........to make cloth

weak...........not strong
week...........seven days

weal...........a skin welt
wheel..........what we in Silicon Valley continually reinvent

weald..........a rural area
wheeled........having wheels
wield..........to apply or use

weather........meteorological conditions
wether.........a castrated ram
whether........if it be the case

weld...........to join metal by melting its edges
welled.........pouring forth

wen............a benign skin tumor
when...........at a specific time

wet............watery
whet...........prime

which..........selection
witch..........broomstick ridin' crones

whig...........supporter of American revolution
wig............false hairpiece

while..........during
wile...........craft

whiled.........passing the time
wild...........untamed

whine..........annoying cry
wine...........fermented grape juice

whined.........past tense of whine
wind...........what you do to a clockwork
wined..........drank well of spirits

whirled........rapidly rotated
world..........Earth

whirred........made a whizzing or buzzing sound
word...........one of the basic elements of speech

whit...........insignificant amount
wit............cleverness; sense of humor

whither........to which place, point, condition
wither.........shrivel up

who's..........contraction of "who is"
whose..........belonging to whom

whoa...........equestrian directive to stop
woe............despair

whole, see: hole

wholly, see: holey

whore, see: hoar

whored, see: hoard

why............how come?
wye............the shape of the letter "Y"

won, see: one
won't..........contraction of "will not"
wont...........accustomed

wood...........what trees are made of
would..........will do

worst..........least best
wurst..........sausage

wrack, see: rack

wrap, see: rap

wrapped, see: rapped

wreak, see: reek

wreck, see: reck
wrest, see: rest

wretch, see: retch

wright, see: right

wring, see: ring

write, see: right

wrote, see: rote

wrought, see: rot

wry, see: rye

X

xi, see: psi

Y

y'all..........Southern contraction of "you all"
yawl...........two-masted sailboat with mizzenmast abaft the tiller

yack...........informal talk
yak............long-haired Tibetan ox

yew, see: ewe
yews, see: ewes
yoke...........oxen harness
yolk...........yellow egg center

yokes..........more than one harness
yolks..........an omelet

yore...........the past
you're.........contraction of "you are"
your...........belonging to you

you, see: ewe
you'll.........contraction of "you will"
yule...........Christmas