Homophones

What are Homophones?

• Homophones are words that sound exactly the same, but they have different spellings and different meanings.
• The word comes from homo (same) and phone (sound).
• They can be tricky because you can't tell them apart just by listening—you have to look at how they are used in a sentence!

Common Homophone Pairs Here are some "look-alike" sounds you will see often:

1. Sun and Son

• Sun: The big, bright star in the sky.
• Son: A boy child in a family.
• Example: The sun is hot today, and my son is wearing a hat.

2. Blue and Blew

• Blue: A color, like the ocean.
• Blew: What the wind did (the past of "blow").
• Example: The wind blew my blue balloon away.

3. Two, To, and Too This is a "triple" homophone!

• Two: The number .
• To: Used for direction (going to the store).
• Too: Means "also" or "extra."
• Example: The two bears went to the park too.

The "Sentence Test" Since they sound the same, you have to use Context Clues to pick the right one. Look at this sentence:

"I can see the sea from my window."

• See: Use your eyes (Verb).
• Sea: The big blue ocean (Noun). If you swapped them, the sentence wouldn't make sense!

Why Do We Learn This?

• Better Writing: Using the right homophone makes your stories easy to read.
• Spelling Skills: It helps you realize that just because a word sounds a certain way doesn't mean it follows the "usual" spelling rules.

Lesson Summary

• Same Sound, but Different Meaning and Spelling.
• Use the rest of the sentence to figure out which one to use.
• Drawing pictures helps you remember the difference.