Appendix:English dialect-dependent homophones

Homophones are words that have the same sound but different meanings (and may or may not have different spellings). This list consists exclusively of homophones that have a different spelling.

Many pairs of English words which have either gained or lost their homophony through phonemic splits and mergers. Where the split or merger is not complete throughout the language this can lead to a situation where a pair of words are homophones in one dialect but not so in another.

This is a list of sets of words which are homophonous in some dialects of English but not others. For other sets of homophones see the list of dialect-independent homophones.

General vowel splits and mergers

Foot-strut split

Note:

The following may be homophones in dialects without the foot-strut split. In the northern half of England, bordering areas of North East Wales, and some eastern areas of Ireland, these pairs have the /ʊ/ vowel and there is no /ʌ/ phoneme. (However, many of the -ook words have the goose vowel in some dialects of northern England and Ireland, and so remain distinct).

booger/bugger (/bʊɡ.ər/, /bʌɡ.ər/)

book/buck (/bʊk/, /bʌk/)

cook/cuck (/kʊk/, /kʌk/)

could/cud (/kʊd/, /kʌd/)

courier/currier (/kʊ.ri.ər/, /kʌ.ri.ər/)

crooks/crux (/krʊks/, /krʌks/)

cwm/come/cum (/kʊm/, /kʌm/)

foot/phut (/fʊt/, /fʌt/)

Fourier/furrier (/fʊ.ri.ər/, /fʌ.ri.ər/)

hook/huck (/hʊk/, /hʌk/)

look/luck (/lʊk/, /lʌk/)

looks/luxe (/lʊks/, /lʌks/)

poof/puff (/pʊf/, /pʌf/)

puss/pus (/pʊs/, /pʌs/)

put/putt (/pʊt/, /pʌt/)

roof/rough (/rʊf/, /rʌf/)

shook/shuck (/ʃʊk/, /ʃʌk/)

stood/stud (/stʊd/, /stʌd/)

took/tuck (/tʊk/, /tʌk/)

Trap-bath split

Note:

The following may be homophones in dialects without the trap-bath split.

ant/aunt (/ænt/, /ɑːnt/)

cant/can't (/kænt/, /kɑːnt/)

have/halve (/hæv/, /hɑːv/)

massed/mast (/mæst/, /mɑːst/)

Bad-lad split

Note:

The following are not homophones in some dialects with the bad–lad split.

an/Ann (/æn, æːn/)

can (be able to)/can (container) (/kæn, kæːn/)

span (spin)/span (space) (/spæn, spæːn/)

ran/Wran (/ræn, ræːn/)

Manning/manning (/mæn.ɪŋ, mæːn.ɪŋ/)

bade/bad (/bæd, bæːd/)

sadist/saddest (/sæd.ɪst, sæːd.ɪst/)

band/banned (/bænd, bæːnd/)

Phonemic æ-tensing

Note:

The following are not homophones in dialects with the phonemic æ-tensing.

can (be able to)/can (container) (/kæn, keən/)

have/halve (/hæv, heəv/)

Manning/manning (/mæn.ɪŋ, meən.ɪŋ/)

Cot-caught merger

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with the cot-caught merger.

odd/awed (/ɒd, ɔːd/)

sod/sawed (/sɒd, sɔːd/)

cod/cawed (/kɒd, kɔːd/)

nod/gnawed (/nɒd, nɔːd/)

pod/pawed (/pɒd, pɔːd/)

clod/(clawed/Claud) (/klɒd, klɔːd/)

body/bawdy (/bɒd.i, bɔːd.i/)

chock/chalk (/tʃɒk, tʃɔːk/)

cock/calk/caulk (/kɒk, kɔːk/)

wok/walk (/wɒk, wɔːk/)

tock/talk (/tɒk, tɔːk/)

tox/talks (/tɒks, tɔːks/)

box/balks (/bɒks, bɔːks/)

fox/Fawkes (/fɒks, fɔːks/)

ox/auks (/ɒks, ɔːks/)

collar/caller (/kɒl.ər, kɔːl.ər/)

holler/hauler (/hɒl.ər, hɔːl.ər/)

squalor/squaller (/skwɒl.ər, skwɔːl.ər/)

hock/hawk (/hɒk, hɔːk/)

stock/stalk (/stɒk, stɔːk/)

pol/pall/Paul (/pɒl, pɔːl/)

don/dawn (/dɒn, dɔːn/)

shone/(Sean/Shaun/Shawn) (/ʃɒn, ʃɔːn/)

yon/yawn (/jɒn, jɔːn/)

John/jawn (/dʒɒn, dʒɔːn/)

fond/fawned (/fɒnd, fɔːnd/)

pond/pawned (/pɒnd, pɔːnd/)

bronze/brawns (/brɒnz, brɔːnz/)

notch/nautch (/nɒt͡ʃ, nɔːt͡ʃ/)

cot/caught (/kɒt, kɔːt/)

sot/sought (/sɒt, sɔːt/)

bot/bought (/bɒt, bɔːt/)

tot/taut/taught (/tɒt, tɔːt/)

(knot/not)/(naught/nought) (/nɒt, nɔːt/)

knotty/naughty (/nɒ.ti, nɔː.ti/)

hottie/haughty (/hɒ.ti, hɔː.ti/)

rot/wrought (/rɒt, rɔːt/)

tot/(taught/taut) (/tɒt, tɔːt/)

dotter/daughter (/dɒt.ər, dɔː.tər/)

slotter/slaughter (/slɒt.ər, slɔː.tər/)

popper/pauper (/pɒp.ər, pɔː.pər/)

bobble/bauble (/bɒb.əl, bɔː.bəl/)

coddle/caudle (/kɒd.əl, kɔː.dəl/)

doddle/dawdle (/dɒd.əl, dɔː.dəl/)

The following are homophones both in dialects with the cot-caught merger and in some North American dialects without the merger (cf the ON line).

on (/ɒn, ɔn/) / awn (/ɔːn/)

offal (/ɒfəl, ɔfəl/) / awful (/ɔːfəl, ɔfəl, ɒfəl/)

Father-bother merger

The following are homophones in dialects with the father-bother merger.

baht/bot (/bɑːt, bɒt/)

balm/bomb (/bɑːm, bɒm/)

dal/doll (/dɑːl, dɒl/)

khaki/cocky (/ˈkɑːki, ˈkɒki/)(except in most American and some Canadian accents)

Khan/con (/kɑːn, kɒn/)

sari/sorry (/sɑːri, sɒri/) (except in some Eastern American and Canadian accents)

lager/logger (/lɑːɡər, lɒɡər/)

lakh/lock (/lɑːk, lɒk/)

mach/mock (/mɑːk, mɒk/)

Mali/Molly (/mɑːli, mɒli/)

palm/Pom (/pɑːm, pɒm/)

Raab/rob (/rɑːb, rɒb/)

Saab/sob (/sɑːb, sɒb/)

Siân/shone (/ʃɑːn, ʃɒn/)

Cot-caught and father-bother mergers

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with both the cot-caught and the father-bother mergers.

awe/ah (/ɔː, ɑː/)

haw/ha (/hɔː, hɑː/)

paw/pa (/pɔː, pɑː/)

balk/Bach (/bɔːk, bɑːx/)

bought/baht (/bɔːt, bɑːt/)

(ball/bawl)/Baal(/bɔːl, bɑːl/)

crawl/kraal (/krɔːl, krɑːl/)

gnaw/nah (/nɔː, nɑː/)

law/la (/lɔː, lɑː/)

maw/ma (/mɔː, mɑː/)

paw/pa (/pɔː, pɑː/)

raw/Ra (/rɔː, rɑː/)

(Sean/Shaun/Shawn)/Siân (/ʃɔːn, ʃɑːn/)

FOOT-GOOSE merger

Noteː

The following are homophones in dialects with the FOOT-GOOSE merger.

bull/buhl (/bʊl, buːl/)

could/cooed (/kʊd, kuːd/)

full/fool (/fʊl, fuːl/)

hood/who'd (/hʊd, huːd/)

looker/lucre (/lʊkər, luːkər/)

look/Luke (/lʊk, luːk/)

pull/pool (/pʊl, puːl/)

should/shooed (/ʃʊd, ʃuːd/)

soot/suit (/sʊt, suːt/)

(wood/would)/wooed (/wʊd, wuːd/)

Mergers before historic r

Mary-merry-marry merger

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with the mary-merry-marry merger.

Mary/merry/marry (/ˈmɛə.ri/, /ˈmɛr.i/, /ˈmær.i/)

hairy/(harry/Harry) (/ˈhɛə.ri/, /ˈhær.i/, /ˈhær.i/)

hairier/harrier (/ˈhɛə.ri.ər/, /ˈhær.i.ər/)

herald/Harold (/ˈhɛr.əld/, /ˈhær.əld/)

(fairy/faery)/ferry (/ˈfɛə.ri/, /ˈfɛr.i/)

(berry/bury)/Barry (/ˈbɛr.i/, /ˈbær.i/)

vary/very (/ˈvɛə.ri/, /ˈvɛr.i/)

airer/error (/ˈɛə.rər/, /ˈɛr.ər/)

tearer/terror (/ˈtɛə.rər/, /ˈtɛr.ər/)

perish/parish (/ˈpɛr.ɪʃ/, /ˈpær.ɪʃ/)

(faro/pharaoh)/farrow (/ˈfɛə.rəʊ/, /ˈfær.əʊ/)

Erin/Aaron (/ˈɛr.ɪn/, /ˈær.ən/) (with the weak vowel merger)

perry/parry (/ˈpɛr.i/, /ˈpær.i/)

terry/tarry (/ˈtɛr.i/, /ˈtær.i/)

feral/Farrel (/ˈfɛr.əl/, /ˈfær.əl/)

Mirror-nearer merger

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with the mirror-nearer merger.

merer/mirror (/ˈmɪə.rər/, /ˈmɪ.rər/)

serious/Sirius (/ˈsɪə.riˌəs/, /ˈsɪ.riˌəs/)

serous/cirrus (/ˈsɪə.rəs/, /ˈsɪ.rəs/)

Horse-hoarse merger

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with the horse-hoarse merger.

for/(fore/four) (/fɔːr, fɔər/)

forward/foreword (/ˈfɔːr.wərd/, /ˈfɔər.wɜːrd/) (Only in GenAm as it lacks /ə/, /ɜː/ contrast)

or/(oar/ore/o'er) (/ɔːr, ɔər/)

aural/oral (/ˈɔː.rəl, ˈɔə.rəl/)

aureole/oriole (/ˈɔː.ri.oʊl, ˈɔə.ri.oʊl/)

Taurus/torus (/ˈtɔː.rəs, ˈtɔə.rəs/)

war/wore (/wɔːr, wɔər/)

(chord/cord)/cored (/kɔːrd, kɔərd/)

border/boarder (/ˈbɔːrd.ər/, /ˈbɔərd.ər/)

horse/hoarse (/hɔːrs, hɔərs/)

warn/worn (/wɔːrn, wɔərn/)

born/borne (/bɔːrn, bɔərn/)

morn/mourn (/mɔːrn, mɔərn/)

See also:

Non-rhotic homophones

Wine-whine merger

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with the wine-whine merger.

way/weigh/whey (/weɪ, ʍeɪ/)

wale/wail/whale (/weɪl, ʍeɪl/)

Wales/wails/whales (/weɪlz, ʍeɪlz/)

wear/ware/weir/where (/wɛər, ʍɛər/)

weal/we'll/wheal/wheel (/wiːl, ʍiːl/)

weald/wield/wheeled (/wiːld, ʍiːld/)

wye/Y/why (/waɪ, ʍaɪ/)

wide/why'd (/waɪd, ʍaɪd/)

wile/while (/waɪl, ʍaɪl/)

wild/wiled/whiled (/waɪld, ʍaɪld/)

wind/wined/wynd/whined (/waɪnd, ʍaɪnd/)

wire/why're (/waɪər, waɪr, ʍaɪ.ər/)

wise/Y's/whys/why's (/waɪz, ʍaɪz/)

woe/whoa (/wəʊ, ʍəʊ/)

weather/wether/whether (/wɛ.ðər, ʍɛ.ðər/)

wet/whet (/wɛt, ʍɛt/)

word/whirred (/wɜːrd, ʍɜːrd/)

world/whirled/whorled (/wɜːrld, ʍɜːrld/)

witch/which (/wɪtʃ, ʍɪtʃ/)

whit/wit (/wɪt, ʍɪt/)

H-dropping

Note:

The following are homophones in dialects with h-dropping

arm/harm (/ɑːrm, hɑːrm/)

ardor/harder (/ˈɑːrdər/, /ˈhɑːrdər/)

arc/ark/hark (/ɑːrk, hɑːrk/)

art/heart (/ɑːrt, hɑːrt/)

eat/heat (/iːt, hiːt/)

at/hat (/æt, hæt/)

ash/hash (/æʃ, hæʃ/)

am/ham (/æm, hæm/)

aft/haft (/æft, hæft/)

ad/had (/æd, hæd/)

axe/hacks (/æk, hæk/)

and/hand (/ænd, hænd/)

oboe/hobo (/ˈəʊbəʊ, ˈhəʊbəʊ/)

old/hold (/əʊld, həʊld/)

ohm/home (/əʊm, həʊm/)

own/hone (/əʊn, həʊn/)

owe/oh/ho/hoe (/əʊ, həʊ/)

ow/how (/aʊ, haʊ/)

ooze/who's/whose (/uːz, huːz/)

oaks/hoax (/əʊks, həʊks/)

ate/eight/hate (/eɪt, heɪt/)

ale/ail/hale/hail (/eɪl, heɪl/)

ear/hear/here (/ɪər, hɪər/)

it/hit (/ɪt, hɪt/)

is/his (/ɪz, hɪz/)

itch/hitch (/ɪtʃ, hɪtʃ/)

id/hid (/ɪd, hɪd/)

I/eye/hi/high (/aɪ, haɪ/)

Ike/hike (/aɪk, haɪk/

I've/hive (/aɪv, haɪv/)

Ides/hides (/aɪdz, haɪdz/)

eyed/hide (/aɪd, haɪd/)

heir/air/hair/hare (/ɛər, hɛər/)

otter/hotter (/ɒt.ər, hɒt.ər/)

edge/hedge (/ɛdʒ, hɛdʒ/)

elm/helm (/ɛlm, hɛlm/)

all/awl/haul/hall (/ɔːl, hɔːl/)

eel/heel/heal (/iːl, hiːl/)

eat/heat (/iːt, hiːt/)

eve/heave (/iːv, hiːv/)

earl/hurl (/ɜːrl, hɜːrl/)

awe/haw (/ɔː, hɔː/)

ore/oar/or/hoar/whore (/ɔːr, hɔːr/)

auk/hawk (/ɔːk, hɔːk/)

Yod-dropping and coalescence

Yod-coalescence

dew/due/Jew (/ˈdʒuː/)

dual/duel/jewel (/dʒuː(.ə)l/)

dune/June (/ˈdʒuːn/)

deuce/juice (/ˈdʒuːs/)

duke/juke (/ˈdʒuːk/)

Yod-dropping

The following are homophones in most dialects of English.

threw/(through/thru) (/ˈθruː/)

brood/brewed (/ˈbruːd/)

rood/rude/rued (/ˈruːd/)

droop/drupe (/ˈdruːp/)

lieu/loo/Lou (/ˈluː/)

lune/loon (/ˈluːn/)

lute/loot (/ˈluːt/)

flew/flue/flu (/ˈfluː/)

slue/slew/slough (/sluː/)

gloom/glume (/ˈɡluːm/)

choose/chews (/ˈtʃuːz/)

chute/shoot (/ˈʃuːt/)

The following are homophones in General American English.

dew/due/do (/ˈduː/)

undue/undo (/ʌn.ˈdu/)

overdue/overdo (/oʊvərˈdu/)

tune/toon (/ˈtuːn/)

knew/gnu/new/[nu] (/ˈnuː/)

The following are homophones in some East Anglian accents.

pure/poor (/ˈpʊə/)

beauty/booty (/ˈbuː.ti/)

mute/moot (/ˈmuːt/)

cute/coot (/ˈkuːt/)

Th

Th-fronting

The following words are homophonous when th-fronted. Words marked with an asterisk (*) are homophonous only in a non-rhotic accent.

Note: The word(s) containing the /f/ or /v/ is mentioned first, with the word(s) containing the /θ/ or /ð/ following.

Aoife/ether*

barf*/bath

beef/Beith

breve/breathe

café/Cathay

caff/Cath

clove/clothe

deaf/death

F/eth

faugh/for*/four*/thaw

faun/fawn/thorn*

feign/fain/thane

feoff/fief/thief

fervor/further

few/thew

fie/thigh

fill/thill

fin/Finn/thin

firm/therm

first/thirst

foal/thole

for/four/Thor

ford*/thawed

fort*/fought/thought

Fred/thread

free/three

fresh/thresh

fresher/thresher

fret/threat

frill/thrill

fro/throw

froze/throes

fug/thug

fuse/thews

half/hearth*

infuse/enthuse

laugh/lath

lava/lather*

lave/lathe

leafy/Lethe

live/lithe

loaf/loath

never/nether

oaf/oath

rave/rathe

reef/wreath

reive/wreathe

rive/writhe

roof/Ruth

sheaf/sheath

sliver/slither

whiff/withe

Th-alveolarization

The following words are homophonous when th-alveolarized (/θ/ becomes /s/, and /ð/ becomes /z/). Words marked with an asterisk (*) are homophonous only in a non-rhotic accent.

Note: The word(s) containing the /s/ or /z/ is listed first, with the word(s) containing the /θ/ or /ð/ following.

bays/bathe

breeze/breathe

cymbal/symbol/thimble

face/faith

force/fourth

gross/growth

kiss/kith

lays/laze/lathe

mass/math/maths

mouse/mouth

moss/moth

miss/myth

Norse/north

pass/path

piss/pith

sank/thank

saw/soar*/sore*/thaw

sawed/sword*/thawed

sawn/thorn*

saws/soars*/sores*/thaws

seem/theme

seems/themes

seize/seethe

sick/thick

sigh/thigh

sighs/size/thighs

sin/thin

sing/thing

sings/things

sink/think

sinking/thinking

sinks/thinks

sinning/thinning

sins/thins

soared*/thawed

soaring*/thawing

soars*/sores*/thaws

song/thong

songs/thongs

sort*/sought/thought

sorts*/thoughts

sues/soothe

sum/thumb

sump/thump

tense/tenth

whizz/with

worse/worth

zees/these

zen/then

Th-debuccalisation

Note:

For Scottish English speakers with th-debuccalisation, the following pairs are homophonous.

Haines/thanes

hank/thank

hatch/thatch

hatches/thatches

haw/thaw

heard/third

herd/third

hi/hie/high/thigh

hick/thick

hin/thin

hod/thawed

hug/thug

Hurst/thirst

Th-stopping

In some Caribbean and Irish accents that merge /θ, ð/ with /t, d/ the following words are homophonous.

Bart/bath

bayed/bathe

Bert/birth

boat/both

boot/booth

breed/breathe

Dan/than

dare/their/there/they're

dare/there

day/they

den/then

dhow/thou

dine/thine

dirt/dearth

diss/this

frot/froth

got/goth

heart/hearth

mats/maths

met/meth

mitt/myth

mudder/mother

nutting/nothing

part/path

read/reed/wreathe

ride/wrythe

tank/thank

taught/thought

tent/tenth

tin/thin

tinker/thinker

toot/tooth

trash/thrash

tree/three

true/threw/through

turd/third

udder/other

Non-rhotic homophones

CommA-lettER merger

airier/area

formerly/formally (/ˈfɔːr.mər.li/, /ˈfɔːr.mə.li/)

manner/manna

(miner/minor)/mynah

panda-pander

rotor/rota

With the weak vowel merger

bittern/bitten

pattern/(paten/patten)

PALM-START merger

arms/alms

farther/father

far/fah

larva/lava (/ˈlɑːr.və/, /ˈlɑː.və/)

spar/spa

PALM-BATH merger

aren't/aunt (/ɑːrnt, ɑːnt/)

THOUGHT-FORCE merger

court/caught

core/corps/caw

cores/cause

floor/flaw

fort/fought

hoar/whore/haw

lore/law

more/maw

oar/ore/o'er/awe (/ɔər, ɔː/)

pore/pour/paw (/pɔːr, pɔər, pɔː/)

pores/pours/pause/paws (/pɔːrz, pɔərz, pɔːz/)

roar/raw

(soar/sore)/saw (/sɔːr, sɔər, sɔː/)

source/sauce

yore/yaw

THOUGHT-NORTH merger

drawers/draws

or/ore/o'er/awe (/ɔːr, ɔː/)

porn/pawn

rort/wrought

sort/sought

stork/stalk

torque/talk

tort/taught/taut

THOUGHT-CURE merger

poor/paw

your/you're/yaw