How to learn homophones

homophones - learn to spell similar sounding words

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and different meanings, for example:


meat	meet

These words are called homophones from the Greek words homo (meaning same) and phonos (meaning sound). Some other examples:

die / dye

flair / flare

hole / whole

paws / pause

threw / through

Sometimes it is hard to remember which spelling to use because

Both words look right - they are both real words.
Both words sound the same - so the sounds won't help you.

So how can you remember which word is which? Try inventing a mnemonic to help fix the correct word in your memory. For example:

1. Link the words with others that you know:

hear - with your ears

here - a place

Did you hear that strange noise?

Don't put it here, put it over there.

1) You hear with your ears

2) Here is a place - like there and where:

"We seek him here, we seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere."
from 'The Scarlet Pimpernel'

2. Look at the letter that is different. Think of a link that helps you remember the meaning. Draw pictures and write the words in a cross, like this:

leek - vegetable

leak - let out liquid

Leeks taste a bit like onions.

The broken tap is leaking.

1) Leeks are green.
2) The tap leaks with water

current -
1) flow of eg. water
2) ongoing, in use

currant - small dried grape

1) The river had a strong current.
2) Read about current events in the paper.

This cake is full of currants.

Think of

1) river with e and current with e

2) cake with a and currant with a -
or think of the currants in the cake as being ants.

3. Look for small words within the main word:

peace - opposite of war

piece - part, section

If the baby is asleep there is peace and quiet.

Don't eat it all, leave me a piece.

A piece of pie

In each of the examples above, you had to target the letters that were different and think of a way to remember which word had which meaning.

Your turn now. Look at these two words:


beech - a tree	beach - sand by the sea

Imagine you want to teach someone which word is which.
How would you do it? To see if you are thinking of the same mnemonic as the author, click here.

Each section of the Spellzone program targets one sound and finishes with homophones for that sound. In many cases, ideas for mnemonics are given, to help you remember which word is which.

To see some more examples, click here.

Finally - Don't be embarrassed about being a poor speller! Some of the most intelligent, creative and talented people have been dreadful spellers.

These tips will have given you a 'taster' of what the 'Spellzone' resource can offer. For access to hundreds of pages of teaching tips, spelling rules, games and spelling activities, register here.

How to learn homophones

Homophone examples

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