100 Unexpected Word Pairs (Confusing
in Spelling or Sound)
Dye / Dry
Dye: To color.
Dry: Without moisture.
Bear / Bare
Bear: Animal or to carry.
Bare: Uncovered.
Here / Hear
Here: In this place.
Hear: To perceive sound.
Break / Brake
Break: To shatter or pause.
Brake: A device to stop motion.
Sale / Sail
Sale: Selling of goods.
Sail: Travel by boat.
Plain / Plane
Plain: Simple or flat land.
Plane: Aircraft or tool.
Meat / Meet
Meat: Flesh for eating.
Meet: To encounter.
Read / Red
Read: To interpret text.
Red: A color.
Right / Write
Right: Correct or direction.
Write: To mark words.
Sight / Site
Sight: Vision.
Site: Location.
Son / Sun
Son: Male child.
Sun: Star at the center of solar system.
Knot / Not
Knot: A tied rope.
Not: Negative word.
Pair / Pear
Pair: Set of two.
Pear: A fruit.
Night / Knight
Night: Time of darkness.
Knight: Medieval warrior.
Aloud / Allowed
Aloud: Out loud.
Allowed: Permitted.
Buy / By
Buy: To purchase.
By: Next to or through.
Peace / Piece
Peace: Tranquility.
Piece: A part of something.
Steal / Steel
Steal: To take illegally.
Steel: Metal alloy.
Scene / Seen
Scene: A view or part of a play.
Seen: Past of see.
Mail / Male
Mail: Postal letters.
Male: Man or boy.
Pale / Pail
Pale: Light in color.
Pail: Bucket.
Their / There
Their: Possessive form.
There: In that place.
To / Too
To: Direction.
Too: Also or excessively.
Two / Too
Two: Number 2.
Too: Also or excessively.
Whether / Weather
Whether: Choice.
Weather: Atmospheric condition.
Wait / Weight
Wait: To pause.
Weight: Measure of mass.
Would / Wood
Would: Past tense of will.
Wood: Material from trees.
Die / Dye
Die: To stop living.
Dye: To color.
Allowed / Aloud
Allowed: Permitted.
Aloud: Spoken out loud.
Hole / Whole
Hole: Opening.
Whole: Entire.
Idle / Idol
Idle: Inactive.
Idol: Object of worship.
Aisle / Isle
Aisle: Passageway.
Isle: Island.
Loan / Lone
Loan: Borrowed money.
Lone: Alone.
Nose / Knows
Nose: Part of face.
Knows: Is aware.
Sole / Soul
Sole: Only or foot underside.
Soul: Spirit.
Ate / Eight
Ate: Past of eat.
Eight: Number 8.
Flour / Flower
Flour: Ground grain.
Flower: Blooming plant.
Toe / Tow
Toe: Part of foot.
Tow: To pull a vehicle.
Seam / Seem
Seam: Stitch line.
Seem: To appear.
Leak / Leek
Leak: Escape of liquid.
Leek: Vegetable.
Cell / Sell
Cell: Small room/unit.
Sell: To trade for money.
Sent / Scent
Sent: Dispatched.
Scent: Smell.
Know / No
Know: To understand.
No: Negative response.
Pore / Pour
Pore: Tiny opening.
Pour: To flow out.
Vain / Vein
Vain: Conceited.
Vein: Blood vessel.
Veil / Vale
Veil: Covering.
Vale: Valley.
Raise / Raze
Raise: To lift.
Raze: To demolish.
Sore / Soar
Sore: Painful.
Soar: To fly high.
Role / Roll
Role: A part played.
Roll: To turn or a list.
Miner / Minor
Miner: Digs for minerals.
Minor: Underage or less important.
Serial / Cereal
Serial: In a sequence.
Cereal: Grain food.
Rain / Reign
Rain: Water from sky.
Reign: Rule of a monarch.
Hair / Hare
Hair: Grows on head.
Hare: Animal like rabbit.
Die / Dye
Die: Stop living.
Dye: To color (again for emphasis).
Principal / Principle
Principal: Head of school.
Principle: Rule or belief.
Stationary / Stationery
Stationary: Not moving.
Stationery: Paper products.
Capital / Capitol
Capital: City or money.
Capitol: Legislative building.
Accept / Except
Accept: To receive.
Except: Not including.
Complement / Compliment
Complement: To complete.
Compliment: Praise.
Desert / Dessert
Desert: Arid land.
Dessert: Sweet course.
Elicit / Illicit
Elicit: To draw out.
Illicit: Illegal.
Allude / Elude
Allude: Refer indirectly.
Elude: Escape or avoid.
Council / Counsel
Council: A group.
Counsel: Advice.
Discreet / Discrete
Discreet: Careful.
Discrete: Separate.
Foreword / Forward
Foreword: Introduction to book.
Forward: Direction.
Gorilla / Guerrilla
Gorilla: Primate.
Guerrilla: Fighter.
Hoard / Horde
Hoard: Store secretly.
Horde: Large group.
Moral / Morale
Moral: Ethics.
Morale: Spirit or confidence.
Peek / Peak
Peek: Quick look.
Peak: Highest point.
Pole / Poll
Pole: Long stick.
Poll: Survey or vote.
Prescribe / Proscribe
Prescribe: Recommend.
Proscribe: Forbid.
Prospective / Perspective
Prospective: Likely to happen.
Perspective: Viewpoint.
Recede / Reside
Recede: To retreat.
Reside: To live in.
Sight / Site
Sight: Vision.
Site: Place.
Than / Then
Than: Comparison.
Then: Time or consequence.
There / Their
There: Place.
Their: Belonging to them.
Waist / Waste
Waist: Body part.
Waste: Unused material.
Wear / Where
Wear: To put on.
Where: Place question.
Which / Witch
Which: Choice.
Witch: Magical being.
Whose / Who’s
Whose: Possessive.
Who’s: Who is.
Yolk / Yoke
Yolk: Egg center.
Yoke: Harness or burden.
Sight / Cite
Sight: Vision.
Cite: To refer to.
Forth / Fourth
Forth: Forward.
Fourth: Number 4.
Cue / Queue
Cue: Signal.
Queue: Line or list.
Idle / Idol
Idle: Inactive.
Idol: Object of worship.
Phase / Faze
Phase: A stage.
Faze: To disturb.
Seam / Seem
Seam: Join line.
Seem: To appear.
Lessen / Lesson
Lessen: To reduce.
Lesson: Teaching unit.
Dual / Duel
Dual: Two.
Duel: A fight.
Birth / Berth
Birth: Being born.
Berth: Ship's bed.
Bridal / Bridle
Bridal: Related to bride.
Bridle: Horse gear.
Bite / Byte
Bite: To chew.
Byte: Data unit.
Bolder / Boulder
Bolder: More daring.
Boulder: Large rock.
Licker / Liquor
Licker: One who licks.
Liquor: Alcohol.
Cache / Cash
Cache: Hidden storage.
Cash: Money.
Kernel / Colonel
Kernel: Core part.
Colonel: Military rank.
