Vocabulary

20 Homonyms with Meaning

1.axel – axle

2.axes – axis

3.beer – bier

4.beet – beat

5.bell – belle

6.berry – bury

7.berth – birth

8.better – bettor

9.bib – bibb

10.bight – bite

11.coup – coo

12.course – coarse

13.cousin – cozen

14.coward – cowered

15.coy – koi

16.cozen – cousin

17.craft – kraft

18.crape – crepe

19.crawl – kraal

20.creak – creek

able

Meaning; having the power, skill, means, or opportunity to do something.

Example Sentence; he was able to read Greek at the age of eight

accede

Meaning; agree to a demand, request, or treaty.

Example Sentence; the authorities did not accede to the strikers’ demands

exceed

Meaning; be greater in number or size than (a quantity, number, or other measurable thing).

Example Sentence; production costs have exceeded £60,000

accept

Meaning; consent to receive or undertake (something offered).

Example Sentence; he accepted a pen as a present

except

Meaning; not including; other than.

Example Sentence; they work every day except Sunday

addition

Meaning; the action or process of adding something to something else.

Example Sentence; the hotel has been extended with the addition of more rooms

edition

Meaning; a particular form or version of a published text.

Example Sentence; a paperback edition

add

Meaning; join (something) to something else so as to increase the size, number, or amount.

Example Sentence; I’ve started a petition so if you would like to add your name, email me

adze

Meaning; a tool similar to an axe, with an arched blade at right angles to the handle, used for cutting or shaping large pieces of wood.

Example Sentence;

affect

Meaning; have an effect on; make a difference to.

Example Sentence; the dampness began to affect my health

bier

Meaning; a movable frame on which a coffin or a corpse is placed before burial or cremation or on which they are carried to the grave.

Example Sentence;

beet

Meaning; a herbaceous plant widely cultivated as a source of food for humans and livestock, and for processing into sugar. Some varieties are grown for their leaves and some for their large nutritious root.

Example Sentence;

beat

Meaning; strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or injure them, typically with an implement such as a club or whip.

Example Sentence; if we were caught we were beaten

bell

Meaning; a hollow metal object, typically in the shape of a deep inverted cup widening at the lip, that sounds a clear musical note when struck, especially by means of a clapper inside.

Example Sentence; the church bells tolled

belle

Meaning; a beautiful girl or woman, especially the most beautiful at a particular event.

Example Sentence; the belle of the ball

berry

Meaning; a small roundish juicy fruit without a stone.

Example Sentence; juniper berries

bury

Meaning; put or hide underground.

Example Sentence; he buried the box in the back garden

berth

Meaning; a ship’s allotted place at a wharf or dock.

Example Sentence; the vessel had left its berth

birth

Meaning; the emergence of a baby or other young from the body of its mother; the start of life as a physically separate being.

Example Sentence; he was blind from birth

better

Meaning; more desirable, satisfactory, or effective.

Example Sentence; we’re hoping for better weather tomorrow

bettor

Meaning; a person who bets, especially on a regular basis.

Example Sentence; she described herself as a moderate bettor

bib

Meaning; a piece of cloth or plastic fastened round a child’s neck to keep its clothes clean while eating.

Example Sentence;

bibb lettuce

Meaning; a butterhead lettuce of a variety that has crisp dark green leaves.

Example Sentence;

bight

Meaning; a curve or recess in a coastline, river, or other geographical feature.

Example Sentence;

bite

Meaning; (of a person or animal) use the teeth to cut into or through something.

Example Sentence; he bit off a piece of cheese

bus

Meaning; transport in a communal road vehicle.

Example Sentence; staff were bussed in and out of the factory

bust

Meaning; a woman’s chest as measured around her breasts.

Example Sentence; a 36-inch bust

but

Meaning; used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned.

Example Sentence; he stumbled but didn’t fall

butt

Meaning; (of a person or animal) hit (someone or something) with the head or horns.

Example Sentence; she butted him in the chest

buy

Meaning; obtain in exchange for payment.

Example Sentence; she bought six first-class stamps

Meaning; identifying the agent performing an action.

Example Sentence;

bye

Meaning; the transfer of a competitor directly to the next round of a competition in the absence of an assigned opponent.

Example Sentence; he has a bye into the second round

byte

Meaning; a group of binary digits or bits (usually eight) operated on as a unit.

Example Sentence;

cache

Meaning; a collection of items of the same type stored in a hidden or inaccessible place.

Example Sentence; an arms cache

cash

Meaning; money in coins or notes, as distinct from cheques, money orders, or credit.

Example Sentence; the staff were paid in cash

caddie

Meaning; a person who carries a golfer’s clubs and provides other assistance during a match.

Example Sentence;

caddy

Meaning; a small storage container, typically one with divisions.

Example Sentence; a tool caddy

cane

Meaning; the hollow jointed stem of a tall grass, especially bamboo or sugar cane, or the stem of a slender palm such as rattan.

Example Sentence;

cheap

Meaning; low in price, especially in relation to similar items or services.

Example Sentence; local buses were reliable and cheap

cheep

Meaning; a short, high squeaky cry made by a young bird.

Example Sentence;

check

Meaning; examine (something) in order to determine its accuracy, quality, or condition, or to detect the presence of something.

Example Sentence; customs officers have the right to check all luggage

Czech

Meaning; a native or inhabitant of the Czech Republic or (formerly) Czechoslovakia, or a person of Czech descent.

Example Sentence;

clique

Meaning; a small close-knit group of people who do not readily allow others to join them.

Example Sentence; his flat became a haven for a clique of young men of similar tastes

click

Meaning; a short, sharp sound as of a switch being operated or of two hard objects coming smartly into contact.

Example Sentence; she heard the click of the door

colonel

Meaning; a rank of officer in the army and in the US air force, above a lieutenant colonel and below a brigadier or brigadier general.

Example Sentence;

kernel

Meaning; a softer, usually edible part of a nut, seed, or fruit stone contained within its shell.

Example Sentence; the kernel of a walnut

coolie

Meaning; an unskilled native labourer in India, China, and some other Asian countries.

Example Sentence;

coulee

Meaning; a short flow of viscous lava.

Example Sentence;

coop

Meaning; a cage or pen in which poultry are kept.

Example Sentence;

coupe

Meaning; a car with a fixed roof, two doors, and a sloping rear.

Example Sentence;

cop

Meaning; a police officer.

Example Sentence; a cop in a patrol car gave chase

copse

Meaning; a small group of trees.

Example Sentence;

coral

Meaning; a hard stony substance secreted by certain marine coelenterates as an external skeleton, typically forming large reefs in warm seas.

Example Sentence; a coral reef

choral

Meaning; composed for or sung by a choir or chorus.

Example Sentence; a choral work

cord

Meaning; thin, flexible string or rope made from several twisted strands.

Example Sentence; hang the picture from a rail on a length of cord

core

Meaning; remove the tough central part and seeds from (a fruit).

Example Sentence; peel and core the pears

core

Meaning; the tough central part of various fruits, containing the seeds.

Example Sentence; a pineapple core

corps

Meaning; a main subdivision of an army in the field, consisting of two or more divisions.

Example Sentence; the 5th Army Corps

chord

Meaning; a group of (typically three or more) notes sounded together, as a basis of harmony.

Example Sentence; the triumphal opening chords

coffer

Meaning; a strongbox or small chest for holding valuables.

Example Sentence; a battered leather coffer sealed with a waxen crest

council

Meaning; an advisory, deliberative, or administrative body of people formally constituted and meeting regularly.

Example Sentence; an official human rights council

counsel

Meaning; advice, especially that given formally.

Example Sentence; with wise counsel a couple can buy a home that will be appreciating in value

coup

Meaning; a sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from a government.

Example Sentence; he was overthrown in an army coup

coo

Meaning; (of a pigeon or dove) make a soft murmuring sound.

Example Sentence; ringdoves cooed among the branches

course

Meaning; the route or direction followed by a ship, aircraft, road, or river.

Example Sentence; the road adopts a tortuous course along the coast

coarse

Meaning; rough or harsh in texture.

Example Sentence; a coarse woollen cloth

cousin

Meaning; a child of one’s uncle or aunt.

Example Sentence;

cozen

Meaning; trick or deceive.

Example Sentence; do not think to cozen your contemporaries

coward

Meaning; a person who is contemptibly lacking in the courage to do or endure dangerous or unpleasant things.

Example Sentence; they had run away—the cowards!

cower

Meaning; crouch down in fear.

Example Sentence; children cowered in terror as the shoot-out erupted

coy

Meaning; (especially with reference to a woman) making a pretence of shyness or modesty which is intended to be alluring.

Example Sentence; she treated him to a coy smile of invitation

koi

Meaning; a common carp of a large ornamental variety, originally bred in Japan.

Example Sentence;

craft

Meaning; an activity involving skill in making things by hand.

Example Sentence; the craft of cobbling

kraft

Meaning; a kind of strong, smooth brown wrapping paper.

Example Sentence;

crape

Meaning; variant spelling of crêpe.

Example Sentence;

crêpe

Meaning; a light, thin fabric with a wrinkled surface.

Example Sentence; a crêpe bandage

crawl

Meaning; move forward on the hands and knees or by dragging the body close to the ground.

Example Sentence; they crawled from under the table

kraal

Meaning; a traditional African village of huts, typically enclosed by a fence.

Example Sentence;

creak

Meaning; (of an object or structure, typically a wooden one) make a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.

Example Sentence; the stairs creaked as she went up them

creek

Meaning; a narrow, sheltered waterway, especially an inlet in a shoreline or channel in a marsh.

Example Sentence; a sandy beach in a sheltered creek

dye

Meaning; add a colour to or change the colour of (something) by soaking it in a solution impregnated with a dye.

Example Sentence; I dyed my hair blonde

dying

Meaning; on the point of death.

Example Sentence; he visited his dying mother

fare

Meaning; the money paid for a journey on public transport.