What are Homonymns?

Many words in the English vocabulary sound similar but have different meanings and are spell differently. They are called homonyms. Here is a list of some homonyms and other words which sound confusing.

1. Accessory: a helper in any act, especially a crime – An accessory to a crime

Accessory:  additional, spare – Auto accessories

 
2. Acrid: Sharp, bitterly pungent – Acrid smell of burning hair

Acrimonious: Stinging, caustic – Acrimonious argument

 
3. Adapt: to change, to adjust

Adept: skilled

 
4. Advice: counsel (noun)

Advise: to give advice (verb)

 
5. Affect: to influence (verb)

Effect: result (noun)

 
6. Affection: feeling of love

Affectation: artificial show, insincere pretence – Her little affectations annoyed me

 
7. Afflicted: stricken

Inflicted: caused or imposed something

 
8. Affront: to insult

Confront: to face

 
9. Allude: to make an indirect reference

Elude: to escape, evade

 
10. Allusion: a reference to

Illusion: unreal image

Delusion: false belief

 
11. Alteration: a change

Altercation: argument

 
12. Amiable: lovable, agreeable (applies to persons)

Amicable: peaceable, harmonious (applies to arrangements, settlements and to relationships)- The settlement was arrived at amicably.

Amenable: readily managed, willing to be led

 
13. Appraise: to estimate, judge – Performance appraisal

Apprise: to inform – They apprised the police of the incident

 
14. Aught: anything (archaic) – For aught I care

Ought: should

 
15. Alternate: every other – The doctor visits here on alternate day

Alternative: choice between two or more alternatives – The hapless man saw no alternative before him but death

 
For complete list of homonyms, read Confusing Words-Homonyms lesson in the English Zone.