A homophone (/ ˈhɒməfoʊn, ˈhoʊmə -/) [a] is a word that is pronounced the same as another word but differs in meaning or in spelling. The two words may be spelled the same, for example rose (flower) and rose (past tense of "rise"), or spelled differently, as in rain, reign, and rein.
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings. The identical sound paired with distinct meanings often leads to confusion, particularly for English language learners, in both speaking and writing.
Learn what homophones are with clear definitions, examples, and exercises! Discover common homophone pairs like to, too, two and right, write to improve your English spelling, listening, and grammar skills.