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."