English spellings
Homophones are words that are pronounced the same. English, famous for its varied spellings, is rich in homophones, but it also has many homonyms, words which are spelt the same, and homographs, words which look the same but have different pronunciation. In this alphabetical list, the most common word is placed first in the entry.
The words in italics suggest meaning, the accents show stress and pronunciation (see English phonemes) and the equals sign = (or approximately equals sign ≈) is placed between the homophones, as in some cases other words are included for contrast (after cf.).
A
 letter = èh? what?
àh response ≈ àaah sentiment ≈ àaargh disgust (in the latter cases more a´s may be added)
âble capable = Âbel person
ádd more = ád advertisement
advîser = advîsor (alternatives)
âid help = âide assistant; Âids or ÂIDS disease = âids, âides plurals
ãir breathe = Ãyr Scotland = ére before = é’er ever = héir estate
ãiry light = all four spellings of éyrie = éyry = ãerie = ãery bird, cf. êerie strange
alîgn = a lîne, cf. állŷ friend, állêy way
åll every = åwl tool, cf. Ál person
allót assign = a lót much
állêy path = Áli person
alòud audible = allòwed allow
alréady before = åll réady ready
alrîght = åll rîght: the former is an informal variant, probably by analogy with alréady
ålter change = åltar church
aménds make = eménds alters
ántì- (BrE) against = ántê- before (AmE says ántî-)
apâce fast = a pâce step
àrc circle = Àrk Noah
Argŷll Scotland = Argŷle Plymouth, hard g
ascént climb = assént agree
āunt uncle AmE = ánt insect
åural ear = ŏral voice
Àussie Australian = Óssy = Óssie persons
Àusten Jane = Àustin car, Texas
åutarchy sovereignty = åutarky self-sufficiency
awêigh anchors = awây go
áxle car = Áxel person
B
báchelor unmarried = Bátchelor person
bácks back = Báx person
bád evil = báde asked
bâil law, cricket = bâle hay, parachute
bâilie magistrate = Bâiley person
bâit hook = bâte fury, restrain
bâize cloth = bâys bay
Bàli island = BrE bàrley crop
båll game = båwl shout
bàlmy sea = BrE bàrmy daft
bánd music = bánned ban
bàrd poet, bacon = bàrred bar
bāsk sun = Bāsque people
báss fish = Báss person
bâste pour, sew = bâsed base
bāth water = Bāth city cf. bâthe swim, final e signifying voiced th
bê is = bêe insect
bêach sand = bêech tree
bêad string = Bêde person
béãr tolerate, animal = bãre naked, cf. bêer drink, hêar hearing
bêat win, hit, rhythm = bêet sugar
bêater beat BrE = bêta Greek
beau boyfriend = Bô Diddley
bêetle insect = Bêatle Beatles, cf. bêat rhythm
bêen was = bêan eat
bêer drink = bìêr coffin
bërk BrE insult = Bürke person
bérry fruit = bury ground
Bílly usually male = Bíllie usually female = bílly goat
bïrth born = bërth ship
bîte teeth = bŷte computer = bîght loop
blānch white = Blānche person
blãre noise = Blãir person
blóck prevent, wood, building = blóc grouping
blónd male person, male and female adjective = blónde female person
blûe colour = bleŵ blow
bôld brave = bôwled bowl
bôlt metal = Bôlt = Bôult persons
Bólton city, person = Bôulton person
boôze drink = boôs boo
bŏre boring, carried = bŏar animal = bŏor rude, cf. Boer *Bùer South Africa
bŏred boring = bŏard wooden, directors, cf. brŏad wide
bŏrn birth = bŏrne wind = bŏurn stream
bôwing music = Bôeing person
búrrow earth AmE = bòrough town, BrE *búrrə
bŷ preposition = buŷ sell = bŷ- incidental = bŷe cricket = bî- two = bî bisexual