EditFast Grammar Resource: Homonyms: A

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Homonyms

Homonyms are words that sound like other words. They can be confusing to writers who have not previously encountered them. Examples of common homonyms are "there" and "their." Below is a list of homonyms and other frequently confused words.

A

a - an article in the English language
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
air - stuff we breathe
are - 1/100th of a hectare
e'er - contraction of "ever"
ere - eventually
err - to make a mistake
heir - one who will inherit
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
aught - anything
ought - should
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