damn, dam

Damn or damn means to condemn or doom--
He was taught that a mortal sin would damn him to hell for eternity.
Damn is often used as an expletive--
"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" is a popular movie quote.

Dam or dam ( rhymes with damn ) means a structure to contain the flow of a river--
The Hoover Dam is a popular tourist attraction.
The dam was built to produce hydroelectric power.
Beavers build a dam across a stream, and then build their lodge inside the dam.
Dam also means the female parent of some farm animals--
His dam and his sire were both champions.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The people who were affected by the flood would like to damn the people who designed the dam."

levy, levee

Levy or levy means to impose a tax, or the tax itself--
The new levy on imported cars made him decide to buy a domestic model.
Another levy will be politically unpopular.

Levee or levee ( rhymes with levy ) means a breakwater on the banks of a river--
The flood began when the levee broke.
The storm did a lot of damage to the levee.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The city had passed a new levy to raise funds to repair the levee."

Note--"levée" ( leh vay, sometimes spelled levee, to rhyme with levy ) means a morning meeting, historically in the king's personal quarters--
Only the king's trusted advisers attended the levée.
Note # 2--the plural ( more than one ) of "levee" is "levees" ( lev eez )--
We hope the levees will hold back the flooding river.
The plural ( more than one ) of "levy" is "levies" ( lev eez )--
If the council approves any more levies, the people will vote for someone else next election.
"Levies" is also the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of the verb ( action word ) "levy"--
If Congress levies imports, they will become more expensive.
Not to be confused with "Levi's" ( lee vize ), a brand of jeans--
These new Levi's are the wrong size.
Levi's is also the possessive ( belonging to ) form of "Levi" ( lee vye ) , a man's given name--
Are these Levi's Levi's, or Tom's Levi's?

wit, whit

Wit or wit means cleverness or humor, or a clever or humorous person--
He has a good sense of humor and a fine wit.
He fancied himself a wit, but his jokes were rarely funny.

Whit or whit ( rhymes with wit ) means an iota or small particle--
This does not look a whit better after all that work.
Do I mind? Not a whit.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His so-called wit had not a whit of cleverness in it."

Note--"wits" may mean more than one clever person--
They considered themselves wits, although they were not amusing.
"Wits" more commonly means intelligence or mental resources--
Having no family, he was forced to live by his wits.
Note # 2--"witan" ( one word ) means the members of the "witenagemot", the parliament or council of Anglo-Saxon England--
The witan was made up of the aldermen, knights, bishops, and the king.
Not to be confused with "wit an" ( two words )--
He considered his wit an asset.

dowdy, doughty

Dowdy or dowdy means frumpy or unfashionable--
I want to go to the store so that I can exchange this dowdy blouse.
Does this dress look dowdy?

Doughty or doughty ( nearly rhymes with dowdy ) means brave or plucky--
She enjoyed reading the adventures of  the doughty girl detective.
The doughty old woman never lost her nerve during a crisis.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He recognized the doughty woman by the dowdy coat she always wore."

Note--"pandowdy" is a kind of fruit cobbler--
We are having apple pandowdy for dessert.

season, seizin

Season or season means one of the four periods into which a year is divided--
Winter is the season for cold and snow.
Last summer they stayed at the beach for the entire season.
Season may also mean the term during which a sport is played--
It's the first day of baseball season.
Season may also mean a period of time marked by a holiday--
The Christmas season starts in December.
Season may also mean to spice or flavor food--
Season the meat with salt and pepper.

Seizin or seizin  ( sometimes spelled seisin, rhymes with season ) means possession of land or property, in a legal document--
He had to win the  lawsuit to establish his seizin.
The covenant of seizin assures the buyer that the seller owns the property.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The seizin question won't be settled until the holiday season is over."

Note--"seizing" is a participle ( used with a helper verb ) of "seize", meaning to grab and hold--
He stopped her from walking into traffic by seizing her arm.
Not to be confused with "seasoning", meaning salt or spices--
There is not enough seasoning in the stew.

shone, shown

Shone or shone is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "shine",  meaning to glow or gleam with light or its reflection--
"...and the glory of the lord shone round about them..."
A bright star shone over the stable.

Shown or shown ( rhymes with shone ) is a participle ( used with a helper verb ) of  "show", meaning to display or demonstrate--
They were shown how to wrap a present, but they forgot. 
When will our favorite holiday movie be shown?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They were shown the way home by the holiday lights that shone all night."

pixie, pyxie

Pixie or pixie means a kind of elf or sprite--
Her new haircut makes her look like a pixie.
Are you hoping that a helpful pixie will come along to clean up this mess?

Pyxie or pyxie ( rhymes with pixie ) means an American  trailing evergreen plant--
We could plant a pyxie on each side of the walk.
The Christmas lights don't look right on the pyxie. Try them on the pine tree.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We bought a potted pyxie for the little pixie next door to put in her garden."

wreath, writhe, wreathe

Wreath or wreath ( reeth ) means a ring or circle made of plants,  flowers, or other materials, used as a decoration--
They put an evergreen wreath on the door for a holiday decoration.
She wore a wreath of flowers on her head. 
"And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath..."

Writhe or writhe ( rithe or reethe  ) means to twist and turn, as in pain or discomfort--
A visit to the vet made the cat writhe and howl.
The doctor sedated him when he saw him writhe in agony.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When he saw the funeral wreath, he began to writhe in despair."

Note--"wreathe" ( reethe ) means to encircle something, as with a wreath--
We could wreathe the cake with real flowers. 

sack, sac

Sack or sack means a bag--for most purposes a cloth drawstring bag, but in some regions any kind of a bag--
Santa will be packing his sack of toys onto his sleigh any day now.
The empty flour sack made a useful kitchen towel.

Sack also means to pillage, as a defeated city in wartime--
The general would not permit his troops to sack the city.

Sac or sac ( rhymes with sac ) is a biology term, meaning a "bag", as of a bag of fluid in an animal or plant--
Under the flower is a sac full of nectar.
This fish has a special sac that fills with air.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The sac under its wing resembles a sack full of oranges."

Note--"sacque" ( rhymes with sack ) means a sort of dress shaped like a bag--
Her party dress was a sacque of pale blue silk.
Note # 2--"sack" is also an old-fashioned word for sherry or fortified wine--
They enjoyed a glass of sack before dinner.
Note # 3--"Sac" ( always capitalized ) is the name of an American Indian tribe--
The Sac or Sauk Indians still live in Iowa.

guest, guessed

Guest or guest means a visitor--
Grandpa will be our guest for the holiday dinner.
Make sure to be a good guest, and eat everything that's offered to you. 

Guessed or guessed ( rhymes with guest ) is the past tense of "guess", meaning to arrive at an answer or solution using conjecture or a "hunch", usually when lacking information--
He guessed when he didn't know the answer to a test question.
He guessed wrong the first time, but then he got it right.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We guessed that our guest would enjoy fruitcake as much as we do, and we were right!"

lama, llama

Lama or lama means a Buddhist monk or professional religious person--
They went to Tibet to visit a famous lama.
The Dalai Lama is familiar to people around the world.

Llama or llama ( rhymes with lama ) means the South American beast of burden, similar to the alpaca and vicuna--
The llama in the petting zoo is very popular with the children.
Is that a llama or an alpaca? How can you tell?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The one-l lama, he's a priest; the two-l llama, he's a beast..." ( Ogden Nash )

hi, hie, high

Hi or hi is an informal greeting, like "hello"--
Hi! How are you?
He didn't even say "hi". He must be angry.

Hie or hie ( rhymes with hi ) is an old-fashioned word meaning to hurry or to move in haste--
Hie ye to yon tavern for a tankard of ale.
Tell him to hie to the market for a peck of potatoes.

High or high ( rhymes with hi ) means tall or at an elevation,  literally or figuratively--
There is a house high on the top of that hill.
She always had trouble with the high note at the end.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Hi! Shall we hie to yon theater and sit high in the balcony?"

humus, hummus

Humus or humus ( hyoo muss ) means the dark organic matter in dirt or soil, from decayed vegetable or animal matter--
If you add humus to the soil, your garden will be much healthier.
Leave the compost pile until it breaks down into humus.

Hummus or hummus ( hoo muss or humm uss ) means the dip made from chick peas--
Make sure to add some lemon juice to the  hummus.
Did you get the pita bread? I am going to make hummus.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Add the peels of the vegetables we used for the hummus to the compost pile, to make humus."

Note--"posthumous"  ( poss choo muss ) means after death, as a book published after an author has died--
His last novel was unfinished, and published as a posthumous work.
Note # 2--"humus" ( one word ) means the dark organic matter in soil--
Humus will make everything grow faster.
Not to be confused with "hum us"( two words ), meaning to make a tune from a droning, close-lipped sound, or the sound itself from a machine--
We don't know this song. Can you hum us the tune?

ascetic, acetic

Ascetic or ascetic means someone who gives up physical luxuries and comforts for religious reasons--
He studied religious philosophy and became  an ascetic.
Ascetic also describes an austere lifestyle, without comforts or luxuries--
His diet was ascetic. He ate almost nothing but bran and spinach.

Acetic or acetic ( rhymes with ascetic ) means something that can make or be made from vinegar--
The scientific name for household vinegar is acetic acid.
Wine can be used to make acetic acid.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The ascetic sometimes used plain acetic acid as a salad dressing."

Note--not to be confused with "aesthetic" ( ess thet ick ), used to describe what is connected to an idea of beauty--
It's practical, but it doesn't have any aesthetic appeal. 

finally, finely

Finally or finally means at last, in the end, or after a long wait--
And now, finally, we present the main portion of our program.
He couldn't believe that he had finally graduated.
They finally fixed that pothole on Main Street.
Finally also means last in a list or series--
And, finally, the director will make a speech.

Finely or finely means in a fine manner, delicately or elegantly--
She stitched it up so finely that no one could detect the repair.
Finely also means in small particles or pieces--
Add a cup of finely chopped onions.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He finally got a chance to show how finely he could trim a package."

Note --Not to be confused with "finale" ( finn alley ), meaning the big production number at the end of a show, or the last part of a concert or musical composition--
They will all be on stage for the finale.
We can't leave yet. The finale is a favorite of mine.
Note # 2--"finality" means the state of being last or final, or something that is last or final--
He wrote a lot of morose poetry about the finality of death.

bunt, bundt

Bunt or bunt, said of a goat or sheep,  means to push with the horns or butt with the head--
The goat tried to bunt the old dog out of his way.
Bunt, in baseball,  means to hit the baseball so lightly that it doesn't go far--
The catcher watched carefully in case the batter decided to bunt the ball and run.

Bundt or bundt ( rhymes with bunt ) means a fluted ring-shaped cake pan--
We are making a bundt cake for dessert.
This recipe calls for a bundt pan. Do you have one?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"After you fill the bundt pan, tap it  lightly, as if you meant to bunt a baseball."

difference, deference

Difference or difference means the quality of being unlike or dissimilar, literally or figuratively--
Can you tell the difference between this picture and the other one?
They are having a difference of opinion.

Deference or deference means yielding to the opinion or will of someone, out of respect , obligation, or practicality--
He always treated his grandmother with deference.
It is important to show deference to the higher-ups if you want to get ahead.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"There's a real difference between showing deference and being a doormat."

Note--"differential" most commonly means the amount of difference between two rates, quantities, or amounts--
The people who work the second shift get a night-shift differential.
Not to be confused with "deferential", meaning respectful--
He was always deferential with the boss, and  his co-workers disliked him for it.
Note # 2--"diffident" means timid, or lacking social or professional confidence--
She though he was shy or diffident, but he was not interested in meeting anyone.
Not to be confused with "different", meaning unlike or dissimilar--
This tastes different. Did you put something different in it?

calendar, calender

Calendar or calendar means the thing you use to keep track of the date, whether hung on a wall or digital--
We'll have to get a new calender before the first of the year.
If your computer doesn't work right, maybe you need to set the calendar.

Calender or calender ( rhymes with calendar ) means a machine that is used to press paper or cloth smooth--
The calender has large rollers to press the fabric smooth.
They will use a calender to coat the cloth with rubber.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We used a calender to coat this cloth with plastic, to make a kitchen calendar that will wipe clean."

Note--not to be confused with a "colander", meaning a bowl-shaped strainer or sieve--
Put the beans in a colander to rinse them.
Pour the spaghetti into the colander carefully.

spore, spoor

Spore or spore means a germ cell or reproductive cell, as of a fungus--
If you shake a mushroom over a piece of paper you may be able to see the spore.
You will need a seed or spore of the plant to grow another one.

Spoor or spoor ( rhymes with spore ) means the track of a wild or hunted animal--
The dog won't be able to follow the spoor unless it's fresh.
He can smell the spoor of the fox that went through the yard this morning.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We thought our dog was following the spoor of an animal, but since he led us to a mushroom, it must have been the spore of a fungus."

cast, caste

Cast or cast means to make an impression using a mold or form--
We could make a plaster cast and use that to mold a replica.
This statue was cast in a clay mold.
Cast also means the plaster or plastic brace put on a broken bone--
He has a cast on his leg, and won't be able to get around much.
The cast will stay on her arm for six weeks.
Cast also means the actors in a show or movie--
Will you be going to the cast party after the show?
Every member of the cast has to be here for the dress rehearsal.
Cast also means to throw or let fly, literally or figuratively--
He cast his rod like an experienced fisherman.
She cast an angry look in his direction, but no one else noticed it.

Caste or caste ( rhymes with cast ) means a level of social or professional standing, as practiced in India and elsewhere--
Many Hindus are taught that each person is born a member of a particular caste, which doesn't change.
Many modern Hindus would like to see the caste system abolished.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Some of the members of the cast refuse to go to a party with people of a lower caste."

Note--"castoff" ( one word ) means something someone has discarded or thrown away--
She resented having only her sister's castoff to wear to the dance.
Not to be confused with "cast off" ( two words ), meaning to throw off, particularly the lines holding a ship or boat--
We will cast off at dawn, to get to our fishing spot early.
"Cast off" might also be part of a sentence using "cast"--
When do you get the cast off your leg?
Note # 2--"Castaway" means someone who has been shipwrecked on a desert island, like Gilligan or Robinson Crusoe--
He was a castaway for two years before a ship rescued him.
Not to be confused with "cast away" ( two words ), meaning to throw away--
His hopes and dreams were cast away in the storm.
"Cast away" might also be part of a sentence using "cast"--
Is the rest of the cast away?
Did the doctor throw your cast away after he took it off?  I kept mine.

pistol, pistil

Pistol or pistol means a handgun or a short firearm--
It is illegal to walk about with a pistol concealed on your person.
He kept his pistol locked in the safe.

Pistil or pistil means the part of a flower that contains the seeds--
If you remove the pistil from the flower, it won't grow back next year.
The stamen and the pistil are two of the reproductive parts of a flower.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"More than one pistil may be grouped in a circle, arranged like the bullets in a pistol."

Note--"pistole" ( pis tole ) is an antique coin of Spain--
He found a pistole on the beach, and took it to an antique dealer.

file, filé, filet, fillet

File or file means a folder for papers, or a set of papers on the same subject--
We seem to have lost your file. Would you fill out these forms again?
Do you have the file on the case we're working on?
File also means to arrange papers or information in order to be able to find it again, usually alphabetically--
I have a lot of forms to file before lunch.
No, file those by the date on the top of the folder.
File also means to make an application or send in a form--
She is threatening to file for divorce.
He wants to file for the new job opening.

File also means a vertical row--
He was happy being one of the rank and file, and didn't want to be promoted.
File also means to walk by in a single line--
The troops were ordered to file past the reviewing stand.

File also means a tool with a rough edge, used for smoothing--
Have you seen my nail file?
You can take the rough edges off with a file or rasp.

Filet or filet ( sometimes spelled fillet, pronounced feel ay ) means a boneless slice or cut of meat or fish--
I'd like the filet, done rare, and a baked potato.
See if they have a nice filet of flounder.

Fillet or fillet ( pronounced fill ett ) means a narrow decorative band, or a raised line or ridge--
She wore a satin fillet around her head, with a feather in it, like a flapper form the 1920's.
The table had a fillet of mahogany around the edge.

Filé or filé ( pronounced feel ay ), usually called filé powder, is made from sassafras leaves, and used to thicken stews or gumbo--
If you can't find filé powder, you can add okra to the gumbo.
If you leave out the filé powder, it won't taste the same.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I saved a file about where to find the filé powder to make a gumbo with this filet of flounder. The cover of the file had a gold fillet on it. Have you seen it?"

pie, pi, π

 Pie or pie means a fruit, cream, meat or vegetable filling baked in a pastry crust--
We still have some pumpkin pie. Do you want some?
I was thinking of making a beef pot pie for dinner.

Pi or pi ( rhymes with pie ) is the  Greek letter π, used to denote the relationship between the radius of a circle and its circumference or area--
The circumference of a circle is equal to 2πr.
Many mathematicians have been fascinated by π, as a fraction that never repeats or ends. People once called it "squaring the circle".

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Maybe we should take a break from calculating pi, and have a slice of pie."

desperate, disparate

Desperate or desperate means having a great need or desire--
He might have done it. He is desperate for money.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
Desperate may mean showing a reckless disregard for consequences or safety--
He drove to the hospital in desperate haste.
Desperate may mean having no hope, or in despair--
He made a desperate effort to get into the burning building, before the flames drove him back.
It was a sordid tale of the desperate enterprises of desperate men.

Disparate or disparate means of  markedly different kinds, or essentially unlike--
We need a marketing campaign that will promote all of our disparate enterprises.
The two diseases have similar symptoms, but disparate causes.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The doctor tried varied and disparate treatments before resorting to the desperate, life-threatening procedure."

rumor, roomer

Rumor or rumor means a tale or gossip circulating, with no proof of its veracity--
Rumor has it that he's going to quit his job.
Did he tell you that, or is it just a rumor?

Roomer or roomer ( rhymes with rumor ) means a person who rents a room in a private house--
The old widow took in a roomer to help make ends meet.
He had been a roomer for years, and now he wanted to buy a house.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I hope that story about your roomer is just a nasty rumor."

Note--not to be confused with "roomier", meaning having more room or space--
The other car is more stylish, but this one is roomier.

humorous, humerus

Humorous or humorous means amusing or comical--
The preacher often began his sermon with a humorous story.
Instead of being embarrassed, he found the situation humorous.

Humerus or humerus ( rhymes with humorous ) is the bone in your arm from shoulder to elbow, often called the "funny bone"--
If you bump your humerus against something, it may feel funny for a few minutes, but it's nothing serious.
He broke his humerus and was in a cast for six weeks.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He broke his humerus, and was annoyed with the punsters who found it humorous"

Note--to "humor" someone means to go along with his whims, even if you don't understand them, so "humor us" ( two words, rhymes with humorous ) would mean to go along with the whims or moods of more than one person--
We know you don't see the point of these precautions, but humor us until you learn why they are necessary.
Note # 2--"humorous", in a book from long ago, may also mean having to do with the "humours" of the body, or with fluid or moisture from a body--
Medieval physicians believed that some diseases were humorous.
Note # 3--"humorless" ( one word ) means lacking any sense of fun or "humor"--
"We are not amused", she said in a dry, humorless tone.
"Humor less" ( two words ) might make a part of a sensible sentence, where "humor" means to go along with someone's whims, and "less" means not so much--
School discipline would be more effective if we would humor less, and punish more.
Note # 4--"humorist" means someone who makes others laugh with jokes or who writes comical pieces--
One of the paper's local coumnists is our favorite humorist.
Note # 5--"humoresque" means a short, light-hearted musical composition--
He has been practicing a humoresque all week, for the piano recital on Saturday.

slew, slue

Slew or slew is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "slay", meaning to kill--
"When David slew Goliath, that was a miracle..."
Remember the old tale of the tailor who slew seven with one blow? 

Slue or slue ( rhymes with slew ) means to swing or turn around, particularly the mast of a ship--
Slue the mast to windward, or we'll never win the race.
Don't slue that mast without warning us first.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Be careful when you slue the mast; it slew one of our sailors last year."

Note--"slues" ( slooze ) is the third person singular ( he she it ) of "slue" --
Watch your head when it slues!
Not to be confused with "sluice" ( slooss ), meaning a channel used for conducting water, as to power a mill--
Open the sluice gate and start the mill wheel.

burger, burgher

Burger or burger means the ground meat sandwich found in fast food restaurants, diners, and homes--
Tomorrow you can make a turkey burger with the leftovers.
I'd like a burger and a shake, please.

Burgher or burgher ( rhymes with burger ) means a citizen of a borough or small town--
He was proud of his status as a burgher of the town, and looked down on country folk.
Only a burgher can vote on town business.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Make sure to order a burger and fries for each burger who will be attending the meeting."

Note--"burgh" is an old-fashioned word for a borough or small town--
The farmer sometimes took his produce to the market in the burgh.
"Burg" ( rhymes with burg ) is an old-fashioned slang term for a small town--
They must roll up the streets of this burg at night.
Note #2--"burgess" may mean a citizen of a small town or borough--
The old burgess hoped to be appointed a magistrate.
"Burgess" also means an elected official of a local or state legislature or governing body--
He was elected a burgess from his region, and sent to the House of Burgesses in Richmond.

sink, sync

Sink or sink means the fixture with a drain, set under the running water or faucet in a kitchen or bathroom--
The kitchen sink is full of water.
Don't let the children play in the sink.
Sink also means to go underwater, as a ship with a hole in it, or a stone thrown into a stream--
The ship may sink if we take on any more water.
If you throw that in the pond, it will sink, not float.

Sync or sync ( rhymes with sink ) is a short form of "synchronization", meaning an arrangement or a plan in which two or more people or things work or move together, literally or figuratively--
The traffic lights are in sync with the train, so we won't have to stop.
We need to be in sync on this, so there won't be any more arguments.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The noise the sink was making seemed to be in sync with the sound of the refrigerator, so we didn't notice it."

queen, quean

Queen or queen means a female monarch or crowned head of state--
The only queen we have in America is a beauty queen.
The only queen we have in America is the "queen of soul".
You can see a portrait of the British queen on the stamps or on the money.

Quean or quean ( rhymes with queen ) means a rude woman or a shrew--
The harangue of the quean woke up the neighbors.
The old quean had  such a sharp tongue that even the police were afraid of her.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The haggard old quean still thought of herself as the queen of the neighborhood."

Note--"quean" may also mean a prostitute--
The quean had to share a cell with a drunk and a pickpocket.
"Queen" is also slang for a male homosexual--
He's upset because someone called him an old queen.
Note # 2--"queen" may also mean the leader of a hive of bees, ants, or other social insects--
Only the queen bee bears young.
Note # 3--"queen" is also one of the pieces on a chessboard--
It's difficult to win a game if you lose your queen.
Note # 4--"queen" is also one of the cards in a deck of playing cards--
He needed a queen to win the game.

literal, littoral

Literal or literal means conforming exactly to the meaning expressed--
The literal meaning of  "freeze" is to solidify in the cold. The figurative meaning is to stop in your tracks.
Literal also means to construe the meanings of words in a strict and matter-of-fact way--
Don't be so literal! You wouldn't make a sponge cake out of sponges, would you?
Literal also means plainly true, without exaggeration or embellishment--
Many fundamentalists believe int eh literal truth of the Bible.

Littoral or littoral means pertaining to the land near a river, ocean, or lake--
The littoral region was fertile because it flooded every spring.
The inland mountains end at a littoral plain.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The littoral sands of the lake were a literal summer paradise to the children."

résumé, resume

Résumé or résumé ( ray zoo may,  reh zoo may ) means the document detailing work qualifications and history, usually given to a prospective employer--
To apply for this job, send a résumé and a cover letter.
You won't make any money as an intern, but it will look good on your résumé.

Resume or resume ( ree zoom ) means to begin something again at the place where it was interrupted--
Let's resume this meeting after lunch.
The newscaster said that negotiations will resume on Monday.

Now that you know that, you can say-- 
"After the lunch break I will resume writing my résumé."

Note--you may see "résumé" spelled "resume", as some typing programs will not have keys for accent marks. If the word intended is "résumé", it will be obvious from the context, and pronounced the same.

dispatch, despatch

Dispatch or dispatch means to send a message, a person, or goods--
Dispatch a message to the supervisor in New York.
Dispatch a messenger to the courtroom.
When did you dispatch the shipment?
Dispatch or dispatch may also mean a message that has been sent--
Have you read the latest dispatch from headquarters?
Send a dispatch to the home office describing the problem.
Here is the latest dispatch from our foreign correspondent.
Dispatch is also an old-fashioned term meaning to kill or have murdered--
They planned to dispatch him after the meeting.

Despatch or despatch means speed or haste--
This matter should be handled with despatch and discretion.
Despatch is of the utmost importance.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The reporter filed his dispatch with despatch."

align, A-line, a line

Align or align means to arrange in straight rows, or to adjust or straighten into a line--
He's going to align the tires, so the car will handle better.
Align may be used figuratively, meaning to adjust one's ideas to match a group or party-
He has decided to align himself with the liberal platform.

A line or a line ( rhymes with align ) means a mark made across a surface, such as paper--
He has trouble drawing a line without a ruler.
Now draw a line from point A to point B.
A line may refer to row of written or printed words--
This will print 50 characters to a line.
A line may refer to part of a verse of poetry or music--
That reminds me of a line of a song.
A line may mean a piece of dialogue from a play--
He skipped a line, but no one will notice.
A line may mean a row, as of people or things--
Please form a line to enter the building.
A line may mean an occupation--
He is considering a new line of work.
A line may mean a ruse used to get a woman's attention--
He is handing her a line.
A line may mark a boundary or limit, literally or figuratively--
There is line between right and wrong behavior.
A line may mean a length of rope--
He's drowning! Throw him a line!

A-line ( always capitalized ) describes a dress or skirt with a triangular shape, like a capital letter 'A'--
She wants a mod-looking A-line skirt, in a 1960's print.
That A-line skirt looks very chic.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She wanted him to align her tires, but he handed her a line about how much he admired her A-line skirt."

Note--"a ligne" ( uh leen ) is a measure used in watchmaking--
A ligne is equal to 1/40 of an inch.

marquee, marquis

Marquee or marquee ( mahr kee ) means the projecting sign over the entrance to a theater or entertainment venue--
Check the marquee as we go by the theater, to see what's playing.
He dreamed of seeing his name in lights on a theater marquee.

Marquis or marquis ( rhymes with marquee ) is a title of nobility, still used in countries with aristocratic systems of government--
The marquis married a wealthy American, who provided the funds to modernize his estate.
The duke and the marquis never did get along.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The marquis will be horrified when he sees his name on the marquee."

Note--"marquees" ( mahr keeze ) is the plural form ( more than one ) of marquee--
I checked the marquees, and every theater is showing the same movie.
Not to be confused with "marquise" ( rhymes with marquees ), the wife or widow of a marquis--
The marquise spends every summer in Biarritz.
Note # 2--In Britain, the terms "marquess" and "marchioness" are used for people of the rank of marquis--
The marquess and marchioness will be attending the ball.

moral, morale

Moral or moral ( pronounced More uhl ) means concerned with a sense of  right and wrong behavior--
To many people, shopping is fraught with moral issues.
People often contribute to charity from a sense of moral obligation.
Moral also means a lesson concerning right and wrong--
"And the moral of the story is..."

Morale or morale ( pronounced more AL ) means the level of confidence or enthusiasm of the members of a group, such as the army, employees, or students--
The general was worried about the morale of his troops.
Our company will not be successful unless we can improve employee morale.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The moral that we can draw from this example is that morale is important."

Note--"amoral" ( one word ) means having no sense of right and wrong--
When questioned, he showed no sense of right and wrong, only an amoral sense of superiority.
Not to be confused with "a moral" ( two words ), meaning having to do with right and wrong behavior--
He refused to make a moral decision unless everyone agreed to it.
"A moral" ( two words ) also means a lesson on right and wrong conduct--
Every fable ends with a moral.
Note # 2--"immoral" describes wrong behavior--
Many people believe that gambling is immoral.

ale, ail

Ale or ale means a type of beer, with a stronger taste and a higher alcohol content--
Let us visit the tavern and quaff some ale.
This brewery makes ale and lager.

Ail or ail ( rhymes with ale ) is an old-fashioned word meaning to be ill, or to be bothered by a physical condition--
Does he still ail, or is he feeling better?
Ail also means to cause pain or trouble--
His joints ail him when the weather is damp.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If we hadn't consumed so much ale, our heads wouldn't ail us now."

Note--"ailing" is more commonly used than "ail"--
What's ailing you?
Note # 2--an "ailment" is a physical condition that bothers someone--
There is no remedy for this ailment. You'll just have to put up with it.
Note # 3--an "alehouse" is a tavern--
After the ball game, let's go to the alehouse.

rhyme, rime

Rhyme or rhyme means the words sound the same, as in a song or a poem--
Words that rhyme make it easy to learn to read..
He is trying to think of a rhyme for his poem.
We can't think of a rhyme for "strange".
Rhyme may also mean a poem or verse--
He wrote a rhyme for her birthday.

Rime or rime ( rhymes with rhyme ) means frost--the coating of ice crystals that form by freezing water vapor--
Every part of the boat was covered in rime.
It was so cold that the covering of rime seemed permanent.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The glittering rime inspired him to write a rhyme."

Note--"rime" is also an old-fashioned spelling for "rhyme"--
"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" was one of his favorite poems.
'Rime" is also a nautical term, meaning to enlarge a hole in a sail--
The mate told him to rime the sail.

freeze, frieze

Freeze or freeze means to harden in the cold, as water becoming ice--
It will take at least an hour for the dessert to freeze. We should start making it now.
You can freeze a bottle of water and put it in your lunchbox.
If it stays cold, the lake may freeze.
Put some salt on the walk so it won't freeze.

Frieze or frieze ( rhymes with freeze ) means a decorative band on a wall, usually with a design in low relief ( with a shape, like a sculpture, but a part of the wall )--
The post office is decorated with a frieze of people delivering mail all over the world.
There is frieze on the outside of the building with scenes from American history.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When it gets cold enough to freeze the water from the rain spouts, the frieze at the top of the building is covered with icicles."

Note--"frieze" is also the name of a kind of heavy wool cloth--
She had a new winter coat of blue frieze.
Note # 2--"freezing" means in the act of becoming solid--
The pond is freezing; you can see the bits of ice floating on it.
"Freezing" is also used to mean very cold, as the weather--
Wear a hat! It's freezing outside!
Not to be confused with "friezing", meaning a carved or painted decoration on the outside of a ship--
The ship's friezing had a picture of lovely mermaids.

domain, demesne

Domain or domain ( doe main ) means kingdom or realm, literally or figuratively--
The prince wanted everyone in his domain to be ready for military service.
In the domain of the natural sciences, he was famous and respected.
Domain, legally, means control over and use of, as of land--
The land between the tracks and the river is the domain of our client.

Demesne or demesne ( deh main ) means one's own land, especially the land around one's home--
The dog went out every morning to patrol his demesne.
He dreamed of one day living in his own demesne, surrounded by his own land.
Demesne, historically, meant the land around a manor house, worked for the family that owned the estate--
The crops raised on the demesne are not enough to support the manor house.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Safe in his own suburban demesne, he became famous in the domain of robotics."

overdo, overdue

Overdo or overdo means to tire or wear yourself out working, partying, or at anything--
I hope he doesn't overdo it this weekend. He was tired all week.
Her doctor told her to be careful not to overdo it. 
Overdo also means to go to extremes--too much, too many, too anything--
Get some decorations for the office, but don't overdo it.
Don't ask her to help with the party. She has a tendency to overdo things.

Overdue or overdue ( rhymes with overdo ) means late, or after the agreed upon or expected date, literally or figuratively--
My library books are overdue. I'll have to pay a fine.
His comeuppance was long overdue, according to his co-workers.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Let's not overdo it with the overdue library fines this time. We owe a small fortune."

elegy, eulogy

Elegy or elegy ( Ell eh gee ) means a funeral song or poem, or a poem or song about death or dying--
The last days of the year inspired him to write an elegy.
The music was so gloomy, it could have been an elegy.

Eulogy or eulogy ( You luh gee ) means a speech made to honor someone, usually at a funeral--
He was expected to deliver the eulogy at his grandfather's funeral, but he didn't know what to say.
The eulogy should mention all of the good points and accomplishments of the deceased.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The elegy played on the organ made everyone sad, but the eulogy was full of happy memories."

hail, hale

Hail or hail means the ice that falls from the sky as precipitation, in the form of hailstones--
One April we had hail the size of ping-pong balls bouncing on the lawn.
The weather service is predicting rain, hail, and wind.
Hail also means to call out to, in order to attract attention or help--
Ask the doorman if he will hail a taxi for us.
Hail also means to greet or salute--
Hail and farewell!
Hail fellow well met!

Hale or hale ( rhymes with hail ) means very fit and healthy--
Only hale and hearty people will make it through the training course.
Hale is also an old-fashioned term meaning haul or pull--
His creditors threatened to hale him into court.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We all felt hale and enthusiastic before it began to hail."

costume, custom

Costume or costume means an outfit worn to pretend to be someone or something else--
You won't recognize him in his Halloween costume.
We couldn't find a pirate costume, so we'll have to make one.
Costume is also an old-fashioned term for any outfit of clothes--
She looked quaint in her old-fashioned costume.

Custom or custom means a traditional or usual way of doing things--
Bobbing for apples is an old custom.
The local custom is to leave the lights on for the trick-or-treaters.
Custom also means trade or patronage--
If this store doesn't have what I want, I will take my custom elsewhere.
Custom also means made-to-order or made-to-measure--
He had a suit custom-made, and looked very sophisticated.
We will have to order some custom-made drapes, because nothing in the stores is the right size.

 Now that you know that, you can say--
"In America, it is a Halloween custom to wear a costume and go trick-or-treating."

Note--"accustom" ( one word ) means to be used to, or familiar with--
The teacher gave short assignments often, to help accustom the students to regular homework.
Not to be confused with "a custom" ( two words ), meaning a traditional or usual way of doing things--
Our neighbors have a custom of sitting outside on Halloween night.
Note # 2--a "customer" means someone who patronizes a store or business--
"The customer is always right."
Not to be confused with a "costumer", who makes costumes, for the stage, the movies, or for a special event--
The costumer said that our gowns would be ready by the weekend.

airy, aerie, eerie

Airy or airy ( pronounced air ee ) means letting in air, or with room for air to circulate--
This room is nice and airy when all of the windows are open.
Airy may also be used figuratively, to mean light and breezy--
She dismissed his objections with an airy manner.

Aerie or aerie ( pronounced to rhyme with airy or with eerie ) means the nest of an eagle or hawk, built in a high, remote place--
The photographer had to scale a cliff to get to the eagle's aerie.
They built a platform on top of the tree, hoping a hawk would use it as an aerie.

Eerie or eerie ( pronounced ee ree ) means unearthly or scary, as in a ghost story--
The new movie promises to be an eerie tale of the supernatural.
The eerie sound was really just the howling of the wind.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The breeze in the room made it feel airy, as a treetop aerie might be, including  the eerie  howl of the wind."

Note--"Erie" ( rhymes with eerie ) is a city in Pennsylvania, or one of the Great Lakes--
Lake Erie borders on Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Canada.
 Note # 2--"eery" is an old-fashioned spelling of "eerie"--
'Twas eery, and everyone was frightened, though some denied it.
Note # 2--"aery" is an old-fashioned spelling of "aerie".
"Aery" ( pronounced airy or AA er ee ) means light, ethereal, or unsubstantial, as mist or fog--
 The lighting made the scene seem like an aery vision.

sword, sward

Sword or sword ( pronounced sord ) means the weapon, shaped like a long knife, used in past centuries before guns were invented--
You can tell that he is an officer because he is wearing a sword.
His grandfather's sword hung over the fireplace, as a sort of decoration.

Sward or sward ( pronounced sword ) means an expanse of grass or lawn--
There was room to play ball on the sward in back of the house.
The land in front of the house was one unbroken sward.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He slashed at the long grass with his sword, hoping to turn the overgrown field into a sward."

Note--a "broadsword" is a very large sword, once used in battle--
He faced the enemy army and slew many of them with his broadsword.
A "broad sward" means a wide expanse of lawn or turf--
There is a broad sward beside the woods, just right for a picnic.
Note # 2--a "broken sword" means a sword broken in pieces--

He couldn't fight with his broken sword.
A "sward" might be broken by trees or shrubbery--
The vast sward was broken in a few places by clumps of shrubbery.

gate, gait

Gate or gate means the part of a fence that opens and closes, to let people in and out--
Make sure that you shut the gate, so the dog won't get out.
The gate is getting rusty; we should oil the hinges.

Gait or gait ( rhymes with gate ) means the way a person walks--
He walked with an unusual gait that was easy to recognize, even from a distance.
Gait also means the way a horse moves--
His gait was a mix of a canter and a gallop.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His gait always changes to a steady trot before he tries to jump over the gate."

Note--a "gaiter" is a cloth or leather covering for the shoe, ankle, and lower leg--
The last time he wore a gaiter, it was part of a World War I uniform.
Not to be confused with a "gater" or "gator", which are both regional slang for an alligator--
When they asked if I had ever eaten gator, I thought they were joking.

broach, brooch

Broach or broach means rise to the top of the sea, as of a fish or submarine--
He looked over the side, and was surprised to see a large fish broach the surface.
Broach also means a sharp tool used to pierce something, as when tapping a keg--
He had an old-fashioned tool he used to broach the keg.
Broach or broach is more often used figuratively, meaning to bring something up for discussion or conversation, especially for the first time--
I am afraid to broach the subject with the boss, but I really need a raise.
He didn't want to broach the subject with everyone listening.

Brooch or brooch ( rhymes with broach, or with pooch ) means a clasp or pin, worn to secure a garment or as an ornament--
His mother gave me a pearl brooch when we were married.
I would like to have this old brooch mended; it's pretty.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Since it seems a good time to broach the subject, what happened to the brooch I gave you for Christmas?"

gram, graham

Gram or a gram means a unit for the measurement of weight--
Some grocery items are still measure by the ounce, instead of by the gram.
A gram of flour is really only a pinch. A kilogram is closer to two pounds.

Graham or graham ( rhymes with gram ) means a mixture of wheat flour and wheat germ--
Graham crackers are a favorite with toddlers.
She is making a cheesecake with a graham cracker crust.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"This recipe for graham crackers calls for one gram of wheat germ for each gram of wheat flour."

Note--"Graham" is also a male's given name, or a fairly common surname or family name--
Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
"Gram" may also be a family nickname for a grandmother--
What shall we get Gram for her birthday?

pigeon, pidgin

Pigeon or pigeon ( pidge un ) means the bird you may see adorning city statues or parks--
He found a young pigeon, and raised it for a pet.
The same pigeon came to the park every day, and waited for him to scatter bread crumbs.
Pigeon may also means a dupe, or the mark of a con artist--
He spent days chatting with the locals, looking for a pigeon.

Pidgin or pidgin ( pidge in ) means a sort of language made of two or more languages, using only the simplest and most practical terms and grammar--
The merchant sailors used a pidgin that allowed them to communicate in several countries.
They spoke a pidgin that was part English and part Cantonese.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He couldn't understand even pidgin English, and didn't realize that he had ordered roast pigeon."

Note--"pitch in" means to help with a group task--
This will go a lot faster if we all pitch in and help.

gamble, gambol

Gamble or gamble means to wager or stake money on something--
Some people are taught that it is wrong to gamble; other people are taught that it is merely stupid.
They like to visit the casino, but rarely gamble.
Gamble may also be used figuratively--
He decided to quit his job, and gamble on getting a new one quickly.

Gambol or gambol ( rhymes with gamble ) means to frolic, prance or cavort--
In nice weather, he let the little lamb out of the pen, so he could watch it gambol on the lawn.
The goats refused to gambol for the camera, although they were playing when I turned it on.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The batteries are low, but I'm willing to gamble that the puppy will gambol for the camera when he sees it."

heart, hart

Heart or heart means the organ that pumps blood through the body--
He is in the hospital, having some tests done on his heart.
Frequent exercise will keep your heart healthy.
Heart is also used to mean the seat of emotion or affection--
He sent her a greeting card with a big pink heart on it.
A heart may be used as a symbol for love or affection--
"I heart small furry creatures."

Hart or hart ( rhymes with hart ) means a male deer--
As he walked through the woods, a startled hart ran across his path.
He saw a hart several feet away, and was sorry he didn't have a camera.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When the evil queen asked for the heart of Snow White, the huntsman brought her the heart of a hart instead."

Note--"hearth" ( pronounced harth ) means the floor or base of a fireplace, often used as the symbol for home and family--
He wanted to go home, and to be with his family around the hearth.
Note # 2--a "broken heart" means a disappointment in love--
The divorce left him with a broken heart.
Not to be confused with a "heart attack", meaning a physical malfunction of the heart--
He had a heart attack, but the doctor thinks he will be fine.

mantel, mantle

Mantel or mantel means the frame surrounding a fireplace, or the shelf above a fireplace--
The clock on the mantel had to be wound every night.
Every Christmas Eve, they hung their stockings from the mantel.

Mantle or mantle ( rhymes with mantel ) means a kind of overcoat or cloak--
He wore a heavy mantle, but was still chilled by the cold.
His threadbare mantle couldn't keep out the wind.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When he came in from the cold rain, he hung his mantle from the mantel to dry in front of the fire."

Note--the mantel of a fireplace is sometimes called a "mantelpiece"--
The pair of urns we bought at the auction will look just right on the mantelpiece.
Note # 2--"mantle" may be used figuratively--
"The cool shades of evening their mantle were spreading..."

jeans, genes

Jeans or jeans means the popular denim pants--
You have a hole in your jeans.
These jeans don't fit right.
Jeans is also used to describe something else made of denim--
Do you have a jeans jacket in my size?
Jean may be singular ( only one )--
Can you make this in blue jean fabric?

Genes or genes ( rhymes with jeans ) means the cells containing the code for copying an organism or part of an organism, or the cells controlling hereditary traits--
Red hair must be in the family genes.
Their children inherited genes for blue eyes from both parents.
Gene is also singular ( only one )--
The child inherits one gene from each parent.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They wear blue jeans so often that I wonder if it's in their genes."

Note--"gean" ( rhymes with gene or jean ) is a kind of sweet cherry--
A heart cherry is also called a gean.
Two heart cherries might be called two geans.
Note # 2--"Jean" or "Jeanne" are feminine given names--
The girl next door is named Jean.
The possessive ( describes what belongs to ) of "Jean" is "Jean's" ( rhymes with jeans )--
Jean's sister called earlier.
"Jeannie" is a nickname for "Jean" or "Jeanne"--
"I dream of Jeannie with the light brown hair..."
"Gene"  is a masculine given name--
We used to watch Gene London on TV in the morning.
Not to be confused with "genie", a being with magical powers--
When he rubbed the old lamp, a genie appeared and offered to grant him three wishes.

oracle, auricle

Oracle or oracle ( ore uh kuhl ) means a person who can predict the future, or who has divine revelations--
His predictions were so accurate that he was considered an oracle.
Oracle may also mean the sacred or mystic place where the future may be revealed--
They couldn't decide what to do, so they went to visit the famous oracle at Delphi.

Auricle or auricle ( ore ih kuhl ) means the outer part of the ear--
His auricle was pierced in several places.
The auricle showed no trace of infection, so the doctor checked for an inner ear infection.
Auricle may also mean something shaped like an ear--
This species of plant can be identified by the auricle at the base of the leaf.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Doctors had been no help, so he visited an oracle, who told him that the real problem was in his left auricle."

Note--"oracular" means something that is in the nature of prophecy or divine revelation--
He meditated often, and sometimes claimed to have oracular visions.
"Auricular" means having to do with the outer ear, or shaped like an ear--
His auricular muscles were often sore, so he went to a dentist.

cue, queue

Cue or cue means a signal for an actor's entrance, exit, lines or movements on stage--
She was supposed to exit, but she missed her cue.
You're not paying attention! That was your cue!
Cue may be a verb ( action word )--
How tragic! Cue the violin music!
Will you cue me, and help me memorize my lines?
Cue is also a term used in pool or billiards, meaning the plain white ball, or the stick--
"Even if you do got a two-piece custom-made pool cue..."
Knocking the cue ball into the pocket is a scratch.

Queue or queue ( rhymes with cue ) means a line of people waiting for something--
The queue for the concert starts in the next block!
I didn't want to wait, and the queue was long.
Queue may be a verb ( action word )--
Would everyone please queue up behind this line?
Queue may mean a long tail or braid of hair--
Traditional Chinese men sometimes wore a long braided queue.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The band music will be our cue to form a queue near the prize booth."

bus, buss

Bus or bus means the vehicle used for public transportation--
The children were delighted when the bus broke down on the way to school.
Can I catch a bus going downtown from this stop?
Bus may also mean to send or convey by bus--
The district will bus the children to a neighboring town until the school is repaired.
Bus also means to clear tables in a restaurant--
He used to bus tables, but now he's the chef.

Buss or buss ( rhymes with buss ) means a perfunctory kiss, often used for a greeting--
He greeted everyone with a buss on the cheek.
He never left the house without at least a buss for his wife.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"One quick buss, and she left him at the bus stop."

Note-- "buzz" means the sound made by a bumblebee or some electronic devices--
It's so quiet you can hear the bees buzz.
That's not my phone. Mine makes a low buzz.
Note # 2--"bussed" is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "buss"--
He bussed her on the cheek before he left.
"Bussed" or "bused" is also the past tense of "bus", meaning to convey by bus--
The children were bussed 10 miles to school.
"Bussed" is also the past tense of "bus", meaning to clear tables--
Have you bussed all of the tables?
Not to be confused with "bust" ( rhymes with bussed )  meaning a statue of a person's head and shoulders--
He kept a bust of Napoleon on the mantel.
"Bust" also means a person's breast or a woman's bosom--
Did you check the bust measurement of the dress pattern?
"Bust" is also slang for arrest--
Did the cops bust that guy?
"Bust" is slang for a military demotion--
Do you think the sergeant will bust him?
"Bust" is slang for break or burst--
Don't do that, you'll bust the window.

surge, serge

Surge or surge means a burst or sudden increase, as of energy, emotion, or electrical power--
Make sure to plug the computer into a surge protector.
He felt a surge of tenderness every time he saw a giraffe.
Surge may mean a sudden forward movement, as of a crowd--
The police lined up to make sure the crowd wouldn't surge onto the field.
The mob surged forward, but there was almost no room left.

Serge or serge ( rhymes with surge ) means a kind of twill fabric, usually used for making suits--
"You've never mussed the crease in my blue serge pants... this is a fine romance."
The new uniforms are made of khaki serge.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Every time she saw a man in a blue serge suit, she felt a surge of emotion."

Note--"Serge" is a male's given name--
Serge and Pierre will be over later.
Note # 2--a "surgeon" ( one word ) is a doctor who performs operations--
The emergency room surgeon removed his appendix.
Not to be confused with "surge on" ( two words )--
There may have been a power surge on the electric circuit. We should call a repairman.
Note # 3--a "sergeant" ( sarr gent ) is a non-commissioned officer, or a title of rank in some other occupations--
The sergeant gives orders to the private.
"Sarge" is a nickname for "sergeant"--
The sarge put him on KP as a punishment.

chilly, chili, chile

Chilly or chilly means somewhat cold--
Turn up the heat. It's getting chilly in here.
Take a sweater; it may be chilly later.

Chili or chili  ( rhymes with chilly ) means a stew made with meat, beans and hot peppers--
The cowboys made a big pot of chili, their favorite dish.
Do you want your chili with rice or with noodles?
Chili also means a hot pepper, or a chile pepper--
Do you want some chili sauce to go with that?

Chile or chile ( rhymes with chilly ) means a hot pepper--
Be careful with the chile peppers; they're hot.
Is this the right kind of chile for making salsa?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When the weather gets chilly, there's nothing better than a hot bowl of chili with extra chile peppers."

Note--"Chile" ( rhymes with chilly, always capitalized ) is the name of a country in South America--
They planned a trip to Chile and Argentina. 
Note # 2--the plural of "chile" is "chiles" ( chill eez or chill ayz )--
Oh! I put too many chiles in the sauce!
The plural of "chili" is "chilies" ( chill eez )--
Buy some avocados and some chilies, and we'll make guacamole.
Note--not to be confused with "chiliasm" ( chill ee asm ), meaning the doctrine that the world will end and Christ will return--
A cult preaching a kind of chiliasm put up billboards announcing the second coming.

heroine, heroin

Heroine or heroine means the female protagonist or main character of a story, movie, or book--
The heroine of romance novels is often a young governess who marries the lord of the manor.
She dreamed of being the heroine of every romance novel she ever read.
A heroine may also be a female who does a brave deed--
The real-life heroine saved two children from a burning building.

Heroin or heroin ( rhymes with heroine ) means the illegal narcotic related to opium and morphine--
The criminal in police shows is often a heroin addict.
He is an in-patient at a hospital, being treated for heroin addiction.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The heroine of this news story risked her own safety to have a heroin pusher arrested."

leaf, lief

Leaf or leaf means one of the growing parts of a tree, shrub, or plant, now turning orange, red, and yellow--
She tried to preserve the pretty leaf by pressing it between sheets of waxed paper.
She drew a fall scene and colored each leaf with a different crayon.
Leaf may also mean a thin sheet of metal--
The statue was covered in gold leaf.
Leaf may mean one sheet of paper from a book, with or without printing on it--
He tore a leaf from the book to write a note.
Leaf may also be used figuratively--
He promised to turn over a new leaf, and to behave better in the future.

Lief or lief ( rhymes with leaf  ) means willingly or gladly--
I'd as lief walk home as ride with a drunk driver.
She would as lief stay home as go on vacation, most years.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He would as lief go outside to admire each colorful leaf as go to a party or football game."

Note--"leaves" may be the plural ( more than one ) of "leaf"--
The leaves are starting to change color.
"Leaves" may also be the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "leave", meaning to depart or go away--
She leaves for work every morning at nine.
Note #v 2--a "leaflet" is a small brochure or pamphlet--
They distributed a leaflet to announce the opening of their new business.
A "leaflet" may also be a small leaf, just beginning to grow from a branch or stem--
She checked the little plant every day, to see if it had made a new leaflet yet.

local, locale, lo-cal

Local or local describes something nearby, or within a close range--
Do you know where the local hardware store is?
She did most of her shopping at the local market, instead of driving to the shopping center.
Local means specific to a particular place--
They heard music, and found there was a local festival going on.
Is he a local, or from out of town?
Local may mean a train that only goes a short distance, or that makes a lot of stops--
Is this train a local or an express?

Locale or locale ( rhymes with lo-cal ) is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a setting, as for a movie or show--
The locale is a small town in the old west.
The film crew  had to move to a different locale, where there was more sun for outdoor shooting.

Lo-cal  or lo-cal is an abbreviation ( short form ) of low calorie--
I'd like a cup of coffee with lo-cal sweetener.
This says lo-cal, so I guess it won't break my diet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The local cafe made a great locale to film the commercial  for lo-cal soda."

Note--"location" is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a place or site--
This would be a fine location for a home or business.
"Location" may mean one of a set of places, as with a chain store or fast food--
We don't offer that service at this location.
"On location" means shooting a film in a real setting, instead of on a set built to look real--
They shot most of the film on location in the desert.
Note # 2--"locality" is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a general place or district--
There are already three fast-food outlets in this locality.
Note # 3-- "locally" describes an action as happening nearby, or within a close range--
The "greens" are urging us to shop locally.

breath, breathe, breadth

Breath or breath ( rhymes with death ) is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning the air we inhale and exhale--
He had been running, and was out of breath.
It's so cold out that you can see your breath.

Breathe or breathe ( rhymes with seethe ) is a verb ( action word ), meaning to inhale or exhale air--
Open a window. I can hardly breathe in here.
He collapsed and couldn't breathe, so we called an ambulance.

Breadth or breadth ( bread-th ) is a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning width, or distance across--
"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach..."
Its breadth was nearly twenty feet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was short of breath, and while he struggled to breathe, the breadth of his chest seemed to nearly double."

Note--the verb forms of "breathe" sound like "breathe"--
He is breathing better now.
It hurt every time he breathed.
When she breathes, she gets a pain in her side.
Note #2--"breaths" sounds like "breath", and means more than one "breath"--
She took little breaths of air, but still felt faint.
Note # 3--"breather" sounds like "breathe", and means a short break--
I think it's time for a breather.
Note # 4--"breathy" sounds like "breath", and describes a voice with a strong sound of air or breath in it--
She had a hoarse, breathy voice that got everyone's attention.
"Breathier" ( breath ee err ) describes a voice more "breathy" than another--
Her voice was breathy, but his was breathier.

cornet, coronet

Cornet or cornet means a horn something like a trumpet or bugle--
"Seventy-six trombones led the big parade, with a hundred and ten cornets right behind..."
He practiced playing his cornet until he was good enough to join a combo.

Coronet or coronet means a sort of tiara or crown, a small one that doesn't make a complete circle--
British stamps and money show the queen wearing a coronet.
A coronet is usually only worn by royalty.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"A page playing a cornet announced the entrance of the queen wearing her coronet."

Note--a "cornet" is sometimes called a "cornetto"--
When he saw the old cornetto in a shop window, he knew he wanted to learn to play it.
Note # 2--a "cornet" is also a paper cone used to hold candy, or a pastry cone used to hold ice cream--
The tree had a cornet of candy for each child.
Note # 3--a "cornet" or "cornette" is also a cone-shaped headdress or hat--
She wore a medieval princess costume, complete with a cornette and veil.

concur, conquer

Concur or concur ( cun CURR ) means to agree or to go along with--
The doctor hoped that the specialist would concur with his diagnosis.
On rare occasions, the father would concur with his son's opinion on a political issue.

Conquer or conquer ( CON kurr ) means to defeat, literally or figuratively--
Our well-prepared troops are sure to conquer the enemy.
He worked with a therapist to conquer his fear of heights.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He strove to conquer his urge to concur with everything his boss said."

Note--"conker" ( CONK urr ) means a horse chestnut--
While walking in the woods, he picked up a conker and put it in his pocket.
"Conkers" is a children's game played with horse chestnuts--
If we each find a nut, we can play conkers.

count, account, a count

Count or count means to find out the number of something, or how many somethings there are--
Count the forms to make sure that everyone has turned one in.
A count also means a tally; an enumeration--
After a count of the party hats and favors, I was sure we had enough.
Count or count is also a title of nobility in some countries, equal to a British earl--
The count and countess hosted the county ball each September.
He will be a count when his uncle dies.

Account or account, used with "for", means to explain--
How do you account for his attitude at the last meeting?

Account is also a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a statement or record of expenditures or debts, and money received--
We need to update our expense account.
Account also means a business relationship with a bank or credit company, or with a store or service provider--
Your bank account is overdrawn.
His credit card account listed a charge he didn't recognize.
Would you put that on my charge account?
Your account is past due.

Account also means a tale, or a version of a story--
His account of what happened didn't match what the other witnesses saw.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The count and countess opened a charge account at a local store, according to an account from an eye witness."

Note--an "accountant" keeps financial records, for a business or for an individual--
You'll have to take that up with our accountant.
Note # 2--"viscount" ( vigh count ) is another title of nobility, below a count or earl and above a baron--
The viscount was accused of a crime, and tried in the House of Lords.
A "countess" is the wife of a count or earl--
When her son married, she became the dowager countess.
Note # 3--to be "called to account" means to have an explanation demanded of you--
He tried to charm his way out of it, but his boss called him to account.
Note # 4--"account" ( one word ) means a record of finances, or of a financial relationship--
His account with the phone company appeared on his credit record.
Not to be confused with "a count " ( two words ) meaning one earl or noble--
He will be a count when his father dies.
Or one adding or numbering of a set of things--
I did a count of the students, and they are all here.
Note # 5--"on a count of" means an enumeration of, or a numbering of--
Everyone start to run on a count of three--one, two, three, go!
Not to be confused with "on account of", an informal expression meaning because of--
On account of his leg, he was excused from gym class.

ink, inc.

Ink or ink means the stuff used to print, with a computer printer or a printing press--
We are out of ink. I can't print my coupons.
She loved the smell of fresh ink in a new book.
Ink is also used to make drawings, or for calligraphy--
He made a pen and ink drawing of their house.
She did the invitations in blue ink.

Inc. or inc. ( rhymes with ink ) is an abbreviation of "incorporated", meaning set up as a business entity, separate from any individuals who may run the enterprise, or anyone employed by it--
They named their new company "We Fix Things, Inc."
The formal name of the business is "Department Store, Inc."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They decided to sell ink cartridges by mail, and called their business 'Ink, Inc.' "

Note--"incorporate" is used in ways that are not abbreviated--
"Incorporate" may mean to include as a part of--
We will incorporate the changes in the new edition.
When you write your paper, try to incorporate what you have learned in class.
"Incorporate" may also mean to make one body of--
If we incorporate all of the evidence, it adds up to fraud.
"Incorporate" may mean to form a legal corporation--
We asked our lawyer how much it would cost to incorporate our business.
Note # 2--"in corporate" ( two words ) means within or concerning a business or a group--
He is a specialist in corporate strategy.

defuse, diffuse

Defuse or defuse means to render an explosive device inoperable by removing the fuse that was meant to set it off--
The police cordoned off the area, while the experts tried to defuse the bomb.
The old British TV series "UXB" was about a squad that went out to defuse any unexploded bombs leftover from the war.
Defuse may be used figuratively--
He made a feeble attempt to defuse the situation, but the crowd was still angry.

Diffuse or diffuse means scattered or sparsely spread about--
The diffuse coating of road salt did very little to melt the ice.
Diffuse may also be a verb ( action word ), meaning to spread about or scatter widely--
The scientists watched to see if the particles would dissolve or diffuse in the solution.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The crowd dispersed somewhat and had become diffuse by the time the police arrived to defuse the situation."

eve, eave

Eve or eve means the night before--
On the eve of their wedding, they considered running away and eloping.
They are having a party for New Year's Eve.
Halloween was once called All Hallow's Eve.
Eve is also a poetic or old-fashioned term for evening--
"I hear a thrush at eve..."

Eave or eave ( rhymes with eve ) means the edge of a roof that hangs over the wall of a house--
The water dripping from the eave is making a puddle in the garden.
The eave of the roof has a few broken shingles.

Now that you know that, you can say--
On the eve of the big game, he sat up all night listening to water drip from the eave."

Note--"Eve" is a woman's given name--
They decided to name the baby Eve if it was a girl.
Note # 2--"eavesdrop" means to secretly listen in on a private conversation--
She knew they were talking about her, and couldn't resist the urge to eavesdrop.
Not to be confused with "eavesdrip", the water that drips from the edge of a roof--
If the eavesdrip gets any worse, we'll have to put up a new gutter.

missal, missile

Missal or missal means a religious book with prayers or readings for each day--
Her grandmother gave her a missal as a confirmation present.
She was a religious woman, and read from her missal each day.

Missile or missile ( rhymes with missal ) means something that is shot,  fired or thrown--
The movie about the missing nuclear missile gave him nightmares.
He helped to design a guided missile that could hit a target 2,000 miles away.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The movie about a nuclear holocaust made her wonder if her missal had a special prayer in case of a missile attack."

Note --"missel" is a type of European thrush--a bird, aslo spelled "mistle" --
The missel thrush may be found feeding on mistletoe.

coop, coup, coupe, co-op, coo

Coop or coop means a little shed or cage where chickens or small animals are kept--
There's a fox in the chicken coop! Come and help us chase him away!
They built a new chicken coop behind the barn.

Coup or coup ( rhymes with coo ), short for the French  coup d'etat,  means a sudden takeover of the government by a small powerful group, usually a military group--
There has been a coup, and we are not sure who is running the country.
The general led a coup to take over the country, and remained in power until the people demanded an election.
Coup or coup also means a successful blow or stroke, literally or figuratively--
Winning the case was a coup that made his career.

Coupe or coupe ( rhymes with coop ) means a closed car with a short body--
He couldn't decide whether to buy the coupe or the sedan.
He wanted a coupe, but she liked the convertible.

Co-op or co-op ( sometimes spelled coop ) is short for cooperative. A cooperative store may be run and owned by its members, who may also make up its staff--
There is a co-op nearby that sells all kinds of organic food.
They are considering founding a co-op to sell produce and homemade bread.

Coo or coo is the sound a dove or pigeon makes. A baby or a lover may be said to make a similar sound--
I have always liked to hear the coo of a pigeon nearby.
The baby would coo whenever she held up his favorite toy.
The young lovebirds went out on the front porch to bill and coo.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Instead of staying home to bill and coo, the newlyweds set out for the co-op in their new coupe to deliver a coop for the chickens, but they stopped when they saw a military unit, which was attempting a coup."

Note--to be "cooped up" means to be confined, or forced to stay indoors or at home--
They felt cooped up when they had to stay indoors during the storm.
Not to be confused with "couped" a heraldry term for separated or cut off--
His escutcheon bore a lion couped.
Note # 2--"co-opt" means to take for one's own, or to elect as a member of a club--
They tried to co-opt his idea, but they didn't really know how it worked.
Note # 3--"coupe" also means a small stemmed bowl for serving ice cream or fruit--
We'll have coupe de fruits for dessert, or fruit cup, if you prefer English.

more, moor

More or more means extra or additional--
Would you like some more pie?
More also means to a greater extent or degree--
She liked that more than the other.
More also means further or longer--
She doesn't like him any more.
We don't go there any more.

Moor or moor ( rhymes with more ) means a piece of waste ground--
They went out hunting on the moor, hoping to spot a rabbit or a moor hen.

Moor also means to secure a ship or boat to a a pier or wharf--
He helped to moor the boat to the pier.

Moor may mean to secure something, literally or figuratively--
The spire at the top of the Empire State Building was once used to moor a dirigible.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They don't moor the boat near the town any more."

Note--"Moor" ( always capitalized ) means one of the people of North Africa--
The Moors once conquered Spain, and ruled there for centuries.
"Moorish" describes the things made by the Moors--
They took a tour of Spain, which included several stops to admire the Moorish architecture.
Note # 2--"mooring" is a participle or noun ( thing or idea ) form of "moor"--
They are mooring the boat now.
The boat has come loose from its mooring.
"Mooring" is used in the figurative expression "to lose one's moorings", meaning to lose one's sense of direction or purpose--
He started out with a career plan in mind, but he seems to have lost his moorings.

beach, beech

Beach or beach means the shore, or the sand near an ocean, lake or river--
We went to the beach, and our shoes are full of sand.
Don't forget the beach chairs.

Beech or beech ( rhymes with beach ) is a kind of tree--
The beech tree in front of the house is starting to lean on the roof.
A beech tree will grow too tall for that spot. How about a dogwood?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If it rains and we can't go to the beach, we'll have a picnic under the beech tree--with umbrellas."

Note--"beech nuts" grow on beech trees--
A squirrel has been burying beech nuts in the garden.
"Beech Nut" is a brand of baby food or chewing gum--
I don't know if they make Beech Nut gum from beech nuts.

afraid, frayed, affray

Afraid or afraid means frightened or feeling scared--
She was afraid of the dark, and always left a light on.
"Be not afraid, I go before you always..."

Frayed or frayed ( rhymes with raid ) is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "fray", meaning to ravel or wear at the edges--
Her sweater was frayed at the cuffs.
The only souvenir he kept of his childhood was a frayed teddy bear.
Frayed may be used figuratively--
The constant chatter frayed his nerves.

Affray or affray means a scene of public disorder in which blows are exchanged--
The police were called to break up the affray.
After the affray, the saloon was closed for a week.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His nerves and clothing were frayed after the affray, and he was afraid of being arrested."

Note--"afraid" means scared or frightened--
The dog was afraid of her blue sweater.
Not to be confused with "a frayed", which describes something tattered or worn--
She wore a frayed blue sweater.
Note # 2--"freight"  ( rhymes with date ) means goods that are carried by a train or truck from one place to another--
They had to weigh all of the freight before loading it on the train.

bell, belle

Bell or bell means the thing that rings--either a cast metal object hanging in a steeple or belfry, or some other kind of metal or mechanical device that clangs, tolls, or rings--
Ring bell for service.
Bell out of order. Please knock.
The bell on the church tower rings on the hour and half hour.
Bell may also refer to something shaped like a bell--
He put a mute in the bell of his trumpet, because he liked the sound.

Belle or belle ( rhymes with bell ) means a popular and fashionable young lady--
Whenever she went out, she was the belle of the ball.
Grandmother had been a belle in her day, and was still something of a coquette.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When the bell tolled at midnight, the belle was still dancing."

sentry, century

Sentry or sentry ( sen tree ) means a guard, particularly a guard who keeps unauthorized people out of a restricted area, such as a military base or camp--
They tried to sneak onto the base, but they couldn't get past the sentry.
I can't go. I'm on sentry duty tonight.
He froze when he heard the sentry shout "Halt! Who goes there?"

Century or century ( sen choor ee ) means one hundred ( 100 ) years--
Cars were invented more than a century ago.
In the 19th century, people rode in carriages pulled by horses.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Even with 21st century technology, the base still needed a sentry at the gate."

Note--a "centurion" was a kind of soldier in Ancient Rome, who commanded a century, meaning 100 other soldiers--
The preacher seemed to refer to the story of the faithful centurion nearly every Sunday.
Note # 2--a bit of trivia--there is a "century plant", a type of agave supposed to flower only once in a hundred years. Not to be confused with  "centaury", an herb that grows in Europe.

ceiling, sealing

Ceiling or ceiling means the overhead panels in a room, or the indoor "roof"--
The ceiling has a stain where the rain leaked in.
The garlands hanging from the ceiling look very festive.
Ceiling may be used figuratively to mean the upper limit of a thing or idea--
Many female executives claim that there is a glass or invisible ceiling, which they never rise above.

Sealing or sealing ( rhymes with ceiling ) is the present participle ( the action is happening as we speak, or we are writing about the action as if it were a thing ) of "seal", meaning to close or glue shut, or to cover with a protective coating--
I am thinking of sealing this with varnish.
I don't like sealing the envelopes with tape. Maybe we could use some old-fashioned sealing wax.

 Now that you know that, you can say--
"This product was recommended for sealing a stained or damaged ceiling."

Note--a "ceiler" puts planks on an overhead wooden framework, usually on a boat--
The ceiler is finishing up the repairs to the ship.
Note # 2--"Seal" also means an official or government stamp--
Without the state seal, those cigarettes may be contraband.
Not to be confused with seal, a marine mammal often seen in harbors--
The seal swam right up to the pier.
Note # 3--a "sealer" may mean someone who hunts seals--
The sealer will sell the seal skins when he catches a seal.
Note # 4--"Sealant" is a product used to give a protective coating to a surface--
He bought some driveway sealant at the hardware store.
Note # 5--"seel" is an unusual word, meaning the temporary blinding of a falcon during training--
He thinks he can train the falcon better if he doesn't seel him.
He has put off seeling the falcon.

you, ewe, yew

You or you means, well, you--to me, the person reading this--grammatically called the "second person"--
Didn't you hear me?
Will you drive me to the store?
I'll introduce you to him.

Ewe or ewe ( rhymes with you ) means a female sheep--
The ewe has a little lamb. It's cute.
They hoped the ewe and the ram would have a lamb.

Yew or yew ( rhymes with you ) is a kind of tree--
He climbed up the yew tree in the back yard.
Let's have a picnic near the yew tree.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Did you see the ewe taking a nap under the yew tree?"

fryer, friar

Fryer or fryer means an appliance used to deep-fry food--
Make sure that the fryer is turned off before you leave.
Be careful near the fryer; it's hot.
Fryer may also mean a chicken suitable for frying--
Did you want a stewing chicken or a fryer?

Friar or friar ( rhymes with fryer ) means a monk, or a male professional religious person--
Romeo and Juliet wanted to be married by Friar Laurence.
A medieval friar might have also been a soldier.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The friar and the nuns took turns at the fryer, making food for the church fair."

loop, loupe

Loop or loop means a cord or string turned around and crossed over itself, leaving a teardrop or circle shape--
Make a loop and tuck one end under the other.
Make one end of the shoelace into a loop, and wrap the other around it.

Loupe or loupe ( rhymes with loop ) means the eyepiece that a jeweler uses to magnify gems and jewelry--
The jeweler used his loupe to find out if the gems were real.
I can't read the marking on this silver. The jeweler will be able to see it with his loupe.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I would need a jeweler's loupe to repair the fine gold loop on the end of this chain."

Note--a "loophole" is a small opening, and is often used in a figurative sense--
He hoped that a lawyer would be able to find a tax loophole for him.

Note # 2--"loopy" is old-fashioned slang for crazy, dotty, or pixilated--
Wally and the Beaver didn't want to play with the loopy kid next door.

skull, scull

Skull or skull means the bone in your head--the one that might be a Halloween decoration--
A skull with a candle in it always makes a nice decoration.
He fractured his skull, and has to stay in the hospital for a few days.

Scull or scull ( rhymes with skull ) means a long narrow boat that is rowed by a team or crew--
The crew was always careful to put the scull back in the boathouse.
They enjoyed racing their scull against the dragon boat.

 Now that you know that, you can say--
"Their dragon boat is so fierce-looking that I think we should decorate our scull with a skull."

Note--"scullery" means the part of the kitchen where the pots and pans are washed--
She started work in the scullery, but soon learned other skills.
Note # 2--"skullduggery" means low or lewd behavior--
What manner of skullduggery is this!
Note # 3--"skulk" means to sneak about or loiter in a hiding place, with criminal intent--
Don't skulk about in the shrubbery. Someone will mistake you for a prowler.
Note # 4--the "skull and crossbones" may be a label for something poisonous--
It's best to lock up poisons, even if they have a skull and crossbones on the label.
The skull and crossbones flag, called the "Jolly Roger", is the symbol for piracy--
When the ship got within range of our guns, it hoisted the skull and crossbones.

beer, bier

Beer or beer means the fermented alcoholic beverage--
Do you want to stop for a beer after work?
Some friends are coming over for pizza and beer.

Bier or bier ( rhymes with beer ) means the stand on which a coffin rests, before burial--
There were flowers of every kind around the bier.
The bier stood in the middle of the church, so that mourners could file past.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They gave their old pal an odd sendoff by surrounding his bier with cans of beer."

Note--"bier" ( rhymes with beer ) means "beer" in German--
Don't worry if you see an ad for bier--in Germany that means beer.

imminent, immanent, eminent

Imminent or imminent ( pronounced  imm ih nent ) describes something that is about to happen soon--
They spent the weekend preparing for an imminent disaster that never happened.
In old crime novels, the hero often worries about his imminent demise.

Immanent or immanent ( pronounced imm uh nent ) describes something that exists only in the mind--
His great resolve to change remained immanent; his behavior stayed the same.
Some people believe that religion should be an immanent philosophy, with no connection to action.

Eminent or eminent ( pronounced emm ih nent ) describes a  famous, well-respected or noteworthy  person--
The reporter asked an eminent psychiatrist his opinion of the legal proceedings.
They were hopeful when the eminent surgeon agreed to do the operation.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"An eminent preacher was sure that his immanent philosophy of an internalized God would save believers from imminent destruction."

Note--emanant ( related to emanate ) means flowing or issuing forth, literally, or moving from an idea or emotion toward action, figuratively--
The jury decided that the act was one of emanant volition.
They were choking on the emanant smoke, and had trouble calling for help.

reek, wreak

Reek or reek means to stink, or to give off  an odor--
When they got home from a fishing trip, their clothes would reek of fish through several washings.
The fire made his coat reek from the smoke.

Wreak or wreak ( rhymes with reek ) means to act out negative emotion, or to perpetrate, as mischief or mayhem, through emotion--
The old woman was afraid her grandson would wreak havoc among her breakables.
He had sworn to wreak vengeance upon his enemies.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The skunk didn't wreak destruction in the garden after the dog chased him, but the reek left on the dog lasted for days."

bread, bred

Bread or bread means the loaf we slice to make toast or sandwiches--
Would you get a loaf of bread from the store?
Do you want wheat bread or white bread?
We don't have any bread.
Bread is also hippie slang for money--
We don't have any bread, man.

Bred or bred ( rhymes with bread ) is the past ( yesterday, or some time ago ) tense of "breed",  meaning to grow and care for ( animals or plants) or to reproduce ( germs )--
These puppies were bred in our home.
He has bred a new strain of lima beans.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"These germs were bred on  moldy bread."

Note--"bred" is sometimes used to mean the raising or educating of people, as in the expression "well-bred"--
He is a well-bred young man.
Most other uses of "bred" to mean people sound pompous.

raise, rays, raze

Raise or raise means to lift up or make higher--
We will need some help to raise the deck, now that it's assembled.
Raise your hand if you know the answer.
They raise the flag every morning.
He wants a raise in salary, but is afraid to ask his boss.
Raise also means to cultivate ( crops ), to breed  ( farm animals ), and to bring up ( children )--
We could raise some radishes in the back yard.
He wants to raise rabbits for their fur, but she doesn't like the idea.
She read a book about how to raise children, but it wasn't very realistic.

Rays or rays ( rhymes with raise ) is the plural ( more than one ) of "ray", meaning a beam of light or something shaped like it--
They awoke when the rays of the morning sun made a pattern on the wall.
He painted a pattern of rays on one wall, in bright colors.

Raze or raze ( also rhymes with raise ) means to level to rubble, as when wrecking a building--
They are going to raze this building to make a parking lot.
The developer bought this entire block and plans to raze it.

Now that you know that, you can say--
" After they raze that tall building, the rays of the sun may reach our roof, and make it easier to raise vegetables in the garden."

Note--"rase" ( rhymes with raise ) is an old-fashioned spelling of "raze".
Note # 2--"ray" is also a kind of fish, so more than one of these fish would be "rays"--
We saw rays in the aquarium.
Note # 3--"Ray" is man's given name, so "Ray's" ( rhymes with raise ) is the possessive ( belonging to ) form--
Is that Ray's car?

exercise, exorcise

Exercise or exercise ( pronounced Ex-er-size ) means physical activity or a workout--
We really need to get more exercise.
The exercise will be good for them.
Exercise may also mean to make use of a right or faculty--
Be sure to exercise your right to vote in the November election.
Exercise your own judgment.
Exercise may also mean an operation or drill--
This will be a training exercise.
It was an exercise in futility.

Exorcise or exorcise ( pronounced Ex-or-size ) means to cast out demons or evil spirits through prayer or a religious ritual--
In olden days, people called on a priest or shaman to exorcise evil spirits.
Today only a few churches still exorcise people afflicted with mental disturbances.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She thought about calling a priest to exorcise the child, but he probably just needed to get some exercise."