Homonyms with Sentences with 100 Example

Homonyms are a fascinating and sometimes confusing part of the English language. They are words that sound the same or are spelled the same but have different meanings. These words can be categorized into three types: homophones (same sound), homographs (same spelling), and homonyms (both). In this article, we will explore examples of homonyms with sentences, helping you better understand how to use them correctly in various contexts.

What Are Homonyms with Sentences?

A homonym is a word that has the same spelling or pronunciation as another word but differs in meaning. The key factor that makes homonyms unique is that they either sound the same (homophones) or look the same (homographs) but carry different meanings.

For example:

Bat: A flying mammal.
Bat: A piece of equipment used in sports like baseball.

Types of Homonyms with Sentences

Homophones: Words that sound the same but have different meanings and often different spellings.
- To, too, two
- Write, right
Homophones: Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and may have different pronunciations.
- Lead (to guide), lead (a metal)
- Wind (to twist), wind (moving air)
Homonyms: Words that are both spelled and pronounced the same, but have different meanings.
- Bow (a weapon), bow (a bend at the waist)
- Match (a game), match (a device used to start a fire)

Homonyms can lead to confusion in communication, especially in written forms. Understanding how to differentiate between the different meanings is essential for effective language use.

Examples of Homonyms with Sentences

1. Can—Can

Can you help me carry this? (to be able to)
I bought a can of soda. (a metal container)

2. Wreak—Reek

The storm will wreak havoc on the city. (cause damage)
Where does that terrible reek come from? (smell)

3. Soul—Sole

He poured his soul into his art. (spiritual part of a person)
The sole of my shoe is worn out. (bottom part of a shoe)

4. Route—Root

We took the scenic route through the mountains. (path)
The tree’s root system is deep. (part of a plant)

5. Cent—Sent—Scent

Can you give me a cent? (coin)
I sent the email yesterday. (dispatched)
I love the scent of fresh flowers. (smell)

6. Cell—Sell

The cell division is fascinating. (biological unit)
They decided to sell their car. (exchange for money)

7. Flat—Flat

My tire is flat. (lacking air)
They live in a flat near the park. (apartment)

8. Lie—Lye

Don’t lie to your parents. (tell an untruth)
Lye is used to make soap. (caustic substance)

9. Pray—Prey

I will pray for your health. (to worship or ask for help)
The lion stalked its prey. (animal hunted for food)

10. Need—Knead

I need help with this task. (require)
She needs to knead the dough. (work dough by pressing)

11. Isle – Aisle

We sailed around the isle. (small island)
We walked down the aisle at the wedding. (passageway in a building)

12. Foul – Fowl

The foul smell from the garbage was unbearable. (disgusting)
The farm has many fowl. (domestic birds)

13. Die – Dye

The flower will die without water. (cease living)
I will dye my hair blue. (color with dye)

14. Ate – Eight

I ate pizza for lunch. (past tense of eat)
She is eight years old. (number)

15. Allowed – Aloud

I’m allowed to leave early today. (permitted)
He spoke aloud during the meeting. (in a voice that can be heard)

16. Add – Ad

Let’s add some sugar to the recipe. (combine)
I saw an ad for a new phone. (advertisement)

17. Ant – Aunt

The ant was carrying food to its nest. (insect)
My aunt will visit us next week. (parent’s sister)

18. Ball – Bawl

He kicked the ball to his teammate. (round object)
The baby started to bawl loudly. (cry noisily)

19. Band – Banned

The band played music all night. (musical group)
That song was banned on the radio. (prohibited)

20. Berry – Bury

She picked fresh berries from the garden. (fruit)
They will bury the treasure in the backyard. (place underground)

21. Berth – Birth

The ship docked at its assigned berth. (place for a ship)
She gave birth to a healthy baby. (act of delivering a child)

22. Better – Bettor

She looks better after resting. (improved in health or quality)
The bettor placed a bet on the horse race. (person who bets)

23. Board – Bored

The board meeting lasted two hours. (a flat, thin, rectangular piece)
He was bored after sitting for so long. (feeling uninterested)

24. Boarder – Border

We have a boarder staying in our house. (person renting a room)
The border between two countries is heavily guarded. (boundary line)

25. Break – Brake

She took a break during her studies. (rest)
He applied the brake to stop the car. (device to slow down a vehicle)

26. Cache – Cash

The treasure chest was filled with gold coins and cache. (hidden storage)
She withdrew cash from the bank. (money)

27. Scents – Sense

The scents in the bakery made me hungry. (smells)
She had a strong sense of smell. (ability to perceive)

28. Chance – Chants

There’s a good chance of rain tomorrow. (probability)
The crowd began chanting for their team. (repeated rhythmic sounds)

29. Chile – Chili

I visited Chile last summer. (country in South America)
Do you like chili with your burritos? (spicy food)

30. Choir – Quire

The choir performed at the concert. (group of singers)
I need to buy a quire of paper. (24 or 25 sheets of paper)

31. Site – Sight

The construction site is under inspection. (location)
The sight of the sunset was breathtaking. (view)

32. Climb – Clime

We will climb the mountain tomorrow. (ascend)
The clime in the desert is extremely hot. (climate)

33. Facts – Fax

The facts presented were undeniable. (pieces of information)
I sent the fax to the company. (machine to send documents)

34. Finnish – Finish

He is from Finland, a Finnish citizen. (from Finland)
I need to finish my homework. (complete)

35. Gene – Jean

The gene was passed down from my grandmother. (unit of heredity)
He wore a pair of blue jeans. (denim trousers)

36. Gilt – Guilt

She bought a gilt frame for the picture. (gold-plated)
He felt deep guilt after the accident. (responsibility for wrongdoing)

37. Greece – Grease

We are planning a trip to Greece. (country)
The kitchen was covered in grease. (thick oily substance)

38. He’ll – Heal

He’ll arrive by 3 PM. (he will)
This medicine will help heal your wounds. (to become healthy again)

39. Higher – Hire

The building is higher than the others. (taller)
We plan to hire a new assistant. (employ)

40. Knead – Need

Knead the dough until it’s smooth. (work dough)
I need your help with this task. (require)

41. Knows – Nose

She knows all the answers to the test. (understands)
He had a cold and couldn’t breathe through his nose. (part of the face)

42. Leak – Leek

There is a leak in the roof. (hole that lets liquid out)
I added some leek to the soup. (vegetable)

43. Merry – Marry

Merry Christmas to you and your family! (joyful)
They will marry in the summer. (join in marriage)

44. Miner – Minor

My uncle works as a miner in the mountains. (person who works in a mine)
She is a minor and cannot sign the contract. (underage)

45. Muscle – Mussel

After the workout, my muscles were sore. (fibers that contract to produce movement)
We had mussels for dinner. (type of shellfish)

46. Pain – Pane

He felt a sharp pain in his back. (hurt or discomfort)
The window pane cracked in the storm. (flat sheet of glass)

47. Pair – Pear

I bought a new pair of shoes. (two items)
I ate a juicy pear for dessert. (fruit)

48. Praise – Prays

The teacher gave praise for the student’s hard work. (admiration)
She prays every night before bed. (worship)

49. Profit – Prophet

The company’s profit doubled this year. (financial gain)
The prophet foretold the future of the kingdom. (someone who predicts the future)

50. Rain – Reign

Don’t forget your umbrella, it might rain today. (precipitation)
The king’s reign lasted for many years. (rule or control)

51. Rough – Ruff

The road was rough and bumpy. (uneven)
The dog’s ruff was soft and fluffy. (fur around the neck)

52. Seen (past part of see) – Scene

I have seen that movie before. (observed)
The scene in the movie was dramatic. (setting or part of a story)

53. Seas – Seize

The seas were rough during the storm. (large bodies of saltwater)
They plan to seize the opportunity to travel. (take hold of)

54. Sew – So

I need to sew the button back on my shirt. (to stitch)
I was tired, so I took a nap. (conjunction)

55. Sour – Sore

The milk has turned sour. (tasting acidic)
My throat is sore from the cold. (painful)

56. Solace – Soulless

Her words gave me solace during a difficult time. (comfort)
He seemed like a soulless person. (without feeling or emotion)

57. Steal – Steel

Thieves tried to steal the painting. (take unlawfully)
The building was constructed with steel beams. (metal)

58. Thyme – Time

I used thyme to season the chicken. (herb)
Time flies when you’re having fun. (measurement of seconds, minutes, etc.)

59. Vary – Very

The prices can vary depending on the store. (change)
He is very kind to everyone. (extremely)

60. Wore (past of wear) – War

She wore a red dress to the party. (put on clothes)
The country has been involved in a war for years. (conflict)

61. We’ll – Wheel

We’ll meet at the park later. (we will)
The car’s wheel got stuck in the mud. (circular part for movement)

62. Your – You’re

Where’s your coat? (possessive form of you)
You’re the best singer I know! (you are)

63. Weak – Week

I felt weak after the long workout. (not strong)
The meeting will be held next week. (seven days)

64. Sun – Son

The sun was shining brightly. (star at the center of our solar system)
My son will start school next year. (male child)

65. See – Sea

I can’t wait to see the new movie. (look at)
The sea is calm today. (large body of saltwater)

66. Meet – Meat

It was nice to meet you at the conference. (encounter)
We had steak for dinner, which is my favorite meat. (animal flesh)

67. Fort – Fought

The soldiers defended the fort bravely. (stronghold)
They fought for their rights. (past tense of fight)

68. Groan – Grown

He gave a loud groan after hearing the bad news. (sound of pain or discomfort)
She has grown so much since the last time I saw her. (increased in size)

69. Holy – Wholly

This is a holy place for pilgrims. (sacred)
He is wholly responsible for the mistake. (entirely)

70. Hour – Our

I waited for an hour at the station. (60 minutes)
Our house is near the lake. (belonging to us)

71. I – Eye

I am going to the store. (pronoun)
She has beautiful blue eyes. (organs for sight)

72. Know – No

I know the answer to the question. (to be aware of)
No, I don’t have any extra tickets. (negation)

73. Links – Lynx

I clicked on the links in the email. (hyperlinks)
The lynx is a wild cat native to North America. (animal)

74. Mail – Male

The mail carrier delivered the letters. (post)
He is a male member of the team. (gender)

75. Right – Write

You made the right choice. (correct)
I need to write a letter to my friend. (form letters or words)

76. Than – Then

She is taller than her brother. (comparison)
I will go shopping, then meet you at the café. (afterward)

77. Where – Wear

Where is my phone? (location)
What will you wear to the party? (clothing)

78. Red – Read

The red car is parked outside. (color)
I read the book yesterday. (past tense of read)

79. Too – Two

I love you too. (also)
I have two dogs. (number)

80. Air – Heir

The air smells fresh in the morning. (gaseous substance)
He is the heir to the throne. (person who inherits)

81. Beach – Beech

We went to the beach for the holiday. (sandy shore)
The beech tree in our yard is beautiful. (type of tree)

82. Bee – Be

The bee landed on the flower. (insect)
You must be careful. (exist)

83. Buy – By – Bye

I need to buy some milk. (purchase)
She was sitting by the window. (next to)
Bye, see you later! (farewell)

84. Way – Weight

There’s no easy way to do this. (method)
She needs to lose weight for her health. (mass)

85. Their – There

Their house is across the street. (possessive form of they)
There are five apples on the table. (location)

86. Lessen – Lesson

We need to lessen the amount of sugar in our diet. (reduce)
The lesson on history was fascinating. (education)

87. Grate – Great

Please grate the cheese for the pizza. (shred)
It was a great movie! (impressive)

88. Gait – Gate

Her gait was elegant as she walked. (manner of walking)
The gate was locked after dark. (barrier)

89. Flower – Flour

The flower bloomed in spring. (plant)
She added flour to the dough. (baking ingredient)

90. Fool – Full

He played the fool during the meeting. (silly person)
The glass is full of water. (containing to capacity)

91. Find – Fined

I will find the book you asked for. (locate)
She was fined for parking in a no-parking zone. (penalized)

92. Feat – Feet

That was an amazing feat of strength! (accomplishment)
My feet hurt after walking all day. (lower extremities)

93. Cheap – Cheep

That jacket was really cheap. (low-priced)
The chicks started to cheep early in the morning. (make a high-pitched sound)

94. Cell – Sell

The cell division process is fascinating. (biological unit)
They decided to sell their car. (exchange for money)

95. One – Won

One day, I will visit Paris. (single)
She won the race yesterday. (past tense of win)

96. Patience – Patients

She has a lot of patience when teaching children. (tolerance)
The doctor sees many patients every day. (people receiving treatment)

97. Practice – Practise

You should go to practice every day to improve. (repeated exercise)
I will practise my guitar skills later. (train or rehearse)

98. Ring – Wring

I bought a new ring for my wife. (piece of jewelry)
Please don’t wring out the towel too hard. (twist to remove water)

99. Sale – Sail

The store is having a sale this weekend. (transaction)
We will sail around the island tomorrow. (travel by boat)

100. Stile – Style

The stile was easy to climb over. (a step or ladder)
Her fashion style is very unique. (way of dressing)

Basic Points to Remember While Using Homonyms

Context is Key: Since homonyms can be confusing, context plays a major role in helping you determine which meaning is being used. Look at the surrounding words to understand which interpretation is appropriate.
Check for Spelling: In written form, homographs (same spelling) can be clarified by checking their meaning within the sentence.
Pronunciation Matters: When it comes to homophones (same sound), the context and spelling should guide you toward the right meaning.
Practice Makes Perfect: Homonyms are common in English, and the more you practice reading, writing, and listening, the easier it becomes to identify and use them correctly.

Common Mistakes with Homonyms

Incorrect spelling: Since homophones have different spellings, it’s important to ensure you’re using the correct spelling based on the meaning.
- Incorrect: “The peace of the forest was so calming.”
- Correct: “The piece of the forest was so calming.”
Misunderstanding meanings: Using the wrong homonym can cause confusion. For example, using “bare” instead of “bear” changes the meaning of a sentence entirely.
- Incorrect: “I couldn’t bear to look at it.”
- Correct: “I couldn’t bear my emotions.”

Conclusion on Homonyms with Sentences

Homonyms can be tricky, but understanding how they work will help you use them correctly and avoid common mistakes. By familiarizing yourself with examples and practicing identifying them in different contexts, you can improve both your written and spoken English. Keep in mind the difference between homophones, homographs, and homonyms, and pay attention to context, spelling, and pronunciation when you come across these words.