Homonyms & Other Confusing Words

One of the problems with English is the many homonyms, that is, words that either sound exactly alike or sound almost alike. We've devilishly collected a number of the most common homonyms in this little exercise.

___ 1. The district attorney (persecuted, prosecuted) the case as a matter of (principal, principle).

___ 2. Though Uncle Rube's tales were scarcely (credible, credulous), the children listened (respectfully, respectively) through each telling.

___ 3. I am not at all (adverse, averse) to (adverse, averse) criticism if I feel it is given in a kindly spirit.

___ 4. 1 have (all ready, already) tried a dozen different lures, but that wily old trout (alludes, eludes) every trap I set for it.

___ 5. You turned in a very (credible, creditable) term paper even though you had to (loose, lose) some sleep over it!

___ 6. Dunstan's (contemptible, contemptuous) act of stealing from an old man had great (affect, effect) upon the life of Silas Marner.

___ 7. The armed bands (flaunted, flouted) their revolutionary banners and (flaunted, flouted) the feeble authority of the collapsing government.

___ 8. With its full (complement, compliment) of officers and men, Mr. Roberts' ship, the Reluctant, was (all ready, already) to take another cargo from Tedium to Apathy.

___ 9. The (principal, principle) speaker at the town hall was an (eminent, imminent) scientist, who discussed atomic energy's peaceful uses.

___ 10. King George VI and Franklin D. Roosevelt were (eminent, imminent) men whose (avocation, vocation) was stamp collecting.

___ 11. Our class wrote a letter to the (consul, counsel) at Madrid (respectfully, respectively) requesting information about touring in Spain.

___ 12. Mr. Jasper (complemented, complimented) us because we were (all ready, already) to leave for the picnic on time.

___ 13. The storm had little (affect, effect) on our part of the shore (accept, except) to strew the beaches with driftwood and seaweed.

___ 14. In a very (creditable, credulous) piece of research on Shakespeare's stage, Nancy made apt (allusions, illusions) to Sheldon Cheney's book.

___ 15. The Nazis were (contemptible, contemptuous) of the minority groups they (persecuted, prosecuted).

___ 16. Edna, you should be more careful of your things; you're (continually, continuously) (loosing, losing) something.

___ 17. Edward Bok and Jacob Riis were (emigrants, immigrants) (respectfully, respectively) from Holland and Denmark.

___ 18. 1 will (accept, except) all your suggestions (accept, except) one, which I’m afraid wasn’t really very good.

___ 19. Michelangelo worked on many (statues, statures, statutes) for the Pope's tomb and on the figure of Moses (beside, besides).

___ 20. At the (consul, council, counsel) meeting, all three officers (accept, except) the president were present.

Perfect Score: 40.