paean, peon

Paean or paean, also spelled pæan, means a hymn of praise or thanksgiving--
He is writing a paean in praise of Apollo.
They perform a paean of praise when the weather turns warm.

Peon or peon ( rhymes with paean )  means a serf or bonded laborer--
The peon waited for the day when he would work his own land.
He had four more years to serve as a peon. 

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The peon was so grateful for his release from bondage that he composed a paean of thanksgiving ."

Note--"pion" ( pie on ) is a physics term, derived from the letter pi or π--
Pion stands for "pi meson", a subatomic particle. 
Not to be confused with "pie on " ( two words ), meaning a pastry stuffed with fruit or filling, placed over or set on something--
I left the pie on the kitchen counter.

Note # 2--"pion" ( rhymes with paean ) is also French  for a chess pawn--
He took my pion with his fou.

Note # 3-"paeon" ( also pæon,  rhymes with paean ) is a measure of the meter or rhythm of words--
A paeon has four syllables to the foot, with one syllable stressed or emphasized.

turkey, turnkey

Turkey or turkey means the large bird often eaten for Thanksgiving dinner--
We will be having turkey with cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.
Grandpa usually carves the turkey.

Turkey also means a flop or failure, particularly in show business--
That show was really a turkey; no on liked it.

Turnkey or turnkey means ready to use or operate, as a business or commercial enterprise--
The business will be sold as a turnkey operation; production will continue as before.
This is a turnkey website; everything should be ready to use.

Turnkey once meant the person who had the keys to a prison--
They escaped by stealing the keys from the turnkey.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The turkey farm will be sold as a turnkey business--just sign here and begin to run it."

Note--"Turkey" ( a proper noun, always capitalized ) is also the name of a country--
Part of Turkey is in Asia, and part of it is in Europe.

attitude, altitude

Attitude or attitude means emotional stance or state of mind, when expressed towards someone or something--
His supervisor reported him because of his hostile attitude.
His sly, knowing attitude made them uncomfortable.

Attitude or attitude also means the orientation, in reference to the ground, right or left, up or down, of a plane or space craft--
Pay attention to the attitude indicator and the fuel gauge.
The plane seems to be leaning to the right; what's our attitude?

Altitude or altitude means height or elevation from the ground, as in the distance from the ground when in an airplane, or the distance from sea level of a particular place--
Make sure to read the directions for baking at a high altitude.
The weather is clear, and our altitude is 38,000 feet.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The high altitude frightened him, but he tried to hide it with a nonchalant attitude."

people, peephole

People or people means human beings, in a general sense, or as a plural form of  "person"--
How many people are in the waiting room?
There are more than seven billion people on the planet.

Peephole or peephole ( almost rhymes with people ) means a small opening used to look out of a door, into a room, or through a fence or wall--
Don't open the door unless you look out of the peephole first.
They cut a peephole in the fence to watch the construction project.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He often looked out of the peephole in the door, just to watch the people passing by."

Note--"people" may mean a race or religion, and as such has a plural, "peoples"--
Our government made separate treaties with the different native peoples.
The UN Charter declares the right to the self-determination of peoples.
Note 3 2--"Person", meaning one human being, also has a plural, "persons", used most commonly in legal records, when the number of persons, each an individual case, is unknown--
The crime was committed by a person or persons unknown.
Call the bureau of missing persons.
Note # 3--"person's" is the possessive ( belonging to ) form of "person"--
Americans are taught to respect a person's right to religious liberty.
Note # 4--"people's" is the possessive form of "people"--
This candidate is clearly the people's choice.

instance, instants, stance

Instants or instants is the plural ( more than one ) of"instant", meaning a second, a minute, or a very brief span of time--
It was all over in a matter of instants.
We can have this ready in an instant, or possibly two instants.

Instance or instance ( rhymes, or nearly rhymes, with instants )  means case, example, or occurrence--
Make sure you include the pertinent facts in your report--for instance, the date, time, and location.
He has been suspended several times, and each instance was more serious than the one before.

Stance or stance means position or attitude--
His stance on gun control is popular with the voters.
His tough-guy stance made the police officer suspicious.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"His stance on discipline may change in a matter of instants if there's another instance of the same bad behavior."

Note--"instant" may also mean precooked or premixed--
This is instant coffee; just add hot water.
"Instant" may also describe something that happens in a brief span of time--
The internet made him an instant celebrity.
"Instant" is also an old-fashioned way of saying in the present month--
I received your letter of the 10th instant...
Note # 2--"instances" is the plural ( more than one ) of "instance", meaning case or occurrence--
It's best to follow the standard procedure in all such instances.

glutton, gluten

Glutton or glutton means someone who habitually overeats, or who consumes food rapidly and greedily--
He loaded his plate and shoveled in the food, like a real glutton.
He behaves like a glutton when we go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant.
Glutton is sometimes used figuratively--
He's still at work? What a glutton for punishment.

Gluten or gluten means the protein found in wheat flour or some other grain products--
Wheat, rye and barley all contain gluten.
Diets without gluten are becoming more popular.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He usually eats like a glutton, but now he's avoiding gluten, and can't have bread or pasta."

Note--"gluttony"means overeating or eating greedily--
Gluttony is one of the traditional seven deadly sins.
"Gluttonous" describes the eating habits of a greedy eater, or someone who overindulges regularly--
His table manners range from picky to gluttonous.
Note # 2--"glutinous" describes something sticky--
You will like that better if you make it with glutinous or "sticky" rice.

melody, medley

Melody or melody means a tune or line of notes, recognizable as the main theme of a song--
I remembered the melody of the song, but I forgot the words.
Do you recognize this melody?

Medley or medley means a mixture or assortment; most commonly a musical piece made up of bits from different songs--
He likes this; it's a medley of some of his favorite songs.
Whenever I hear this medley, I want to go home and listen to each of the songs.
We are having a roast with a vegetable medley.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"You may win a prize if you can name every melody in this medley."

entry, entrée

Entry or entry means the way in, or the method for getting into a place or thing; access--
Entry into the complex is through the main gate.
Make sure that you have a ticket, or you may be denied entry.

Entry is also a verb ( action word ), meaning going into a place--
He was arrested and charged with burglary and forced entry.
The entry of the army into the city caused alarm and confusion.

Entry also means participation in a contest or sweepstakes, literally or figuratively, or the record of participation--
Make sure to include proof of purchase with your contest entry.
This entry will be our last; next year we won't be participating in the race.
Entry may mean making a record into an account book, log, or journal--
His journal entry for the first describes the incident.
Look for an entry in this amount, dated last week.

Entrée or entrée means a main dish, especially in a restaurant--
We are all having salad, and the entrée will be chicken.
We are each going to choose a different entrée, and then we'll share.

Entrée also means the right to go in to some place, literally or figuratively--
His fame assured his entrée into fashionable society.
The introduction served as an entrée into the world of high finance.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Entry into the room was blocked by people looking at the menu on the wall, trying to choose an entrée."

Note--"entrance" also means the way into a building, most commonly the actual physical door or path--
The entrance is on the side of the building.

afford, a ford, a Ford

Afford or afford ( one word ) means able to pay for or bear the expense of--
Can we afford to go somewhere tropical for our vacation?
We can't afford a new car right now--maybe next year.

A ford or a ford ( two words ) means one ( a ) shallow spot in the river where it is possible to cross--
There is a ford about a mile downstream, where you may cross the river.
We might be able to cross a ford in the truck, but I don't think the car will get us across.

A Ford or a Ford ( two words, Ford a proper noun, and always capitalized ) means one ( a ) car made by the Ford Motor Company--
Grandpa was a Ford man; he never drove anything else.
He bought a Ford, although he looked at some other cars.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Can you afford a Ford truck, one that can cross a ford with ease?"

Note--"affordable" means inexpensive, or easy on the budget--
Come and see our new line of affordable cars and trucks.
"Fordable" means a stream or river that can be crossed on foot or in a vehicle--
Is this river fordable?
So a river that can be crossed would be a fordable--
Is this a fordable river?

choose, chews

Choose or choose means to select, opt, or decide--
 We should read the reviews before we choose one of these.
If you choose to continue, your data may be lost.

Chews or chews ( rhymes with choose ) is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "chew", meaning to bite or grind food with the teeth--
The dog chews on his toy all day.
He makes too much noise when he chews his food.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We let hin choose a toy, and he chews on it while we ride in the car."

Note--the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "choose" is "chooses"--
We'll be happy with whatever he chooses.

impress, empress

Impress or impress means to leave a dent or to produce a mark using pressure, literally or figuratively--
Use the stamp to impress your initials into the leather.
He tried to impress her with tales of his exploits, but she only laughed at him.

Empress or empress means a female monarch of more than one country--an empire--
Victoria was called an empress when she ruled both Britain and India.
An empress may rule over a subject queen.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"After his visit with the empress, mere royal courts failed to impress him."

republican, publican

Republican or republican describes a representative form of government--
The king banished him for spreading republican ideas.
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government..."

Republican is also a noun ( thing or idea ), meaning a person who believes in a representative form of government--
Although he was born with a title, his principles made him a republican.
He was a republican, much to the dismay of his monarchist parents.

Republican is also the name ( a proper noun when used this way, and always capitalized ) of one of the major political parties in the United States--
Are you registered as a Republican or a Democrat, or are you unaffiliated?
You have to register as a Republican if you want to vote in the Republican primary.

Publican or publican means a form of tax collector, who bought the rights to collect the taxes, and then went calling on people to get the money they owed--
The publican was a familiar sight to some of the first settlers in America.
The ancient Romans used a publican to collect the taxes.

Publican or publican, informally, means an innkeeper--
The publican says that it's closing time.
Ask the publican for another round of beers.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The king's soldiers were aware that the publican was a republican sympathizer."

furor, führer

Furor or furor means an uproar or commotion; a public outburst or frenzy--
We could not hear the announcer over the furor of the crowd.
There was a furor in the cafeteria, and panic in the halls.

Führer or führer ( rhymes with furor ) is German for "leader"--
The title of  führer is now associated almost exclusively with Hitler.
During World War II, many Germans adored their  führer.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The audience erupted into a furor when the speaker was introduced as the führer."

Note--"furore" is the British spelling of "furor".
Note # 2--"Führer " may be spelled "fuehrer" when foreign diacritical marks are not available.

elegant, eloquent

Elegant or elegant means stylish and sophisticated, graceful and refined--
Everyone remarked on her elegant ensemble.
We want an elegant look, nothing rustic or quaint.

Eloquent or eloquent describes speech that is persuasive, moving, and expressive--
The speaker was eloquent; many of the listeners were moved to support his campaign.
One eloquent speech can do more to move voters than a hundred ads.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was elegant in dress, eloquent in speech, and very popular with the crowds."

Note--"Elegance" is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of "elegant"--
Her fans admired her grace and elegance.
"Eloquence" is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of "eloquent"--
His eloquence persuaded many people to vote for him.

bask, Basque

Bask or bask means to lie or relax in, or to soak up the sun, literally or figuratively--
Our lizard likes to bask in the sun.
See how the performers bask in the glow of the applause.

Basque ( a proper noun, always capitalized, rhymes with bask ) means a set of people who live in the part of France that borders the Pyrenees and Spain--
He says he is a Basque, and doesn't speak French.
Basque may also be an adjective ( describes a person, place, or thing--still always capitalized )--
There are still people in France and Spain who speak the Basque language.
Biarritz is a well-known city in the Basque region.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"On our next vacation, we'd like to visit the Basque country and bask in the sun."

Note--"Basque" may also mean a sort of corset, with or without sleeves--
Her dress had a basque top and a long skirt.

loot, lute

Loot or loot means plunder, stolen goods, or ill-gotten gains--
We can't catch them unless we find out where they stashed the loot.
The kids came home from trick-or-treating with a sack of loot.

Lute or lute ( rhymes with loot ) means a musical instrument, with strings like a guitar, but with a large round body--
He learned to play the lute and the mandolin, as well as the guitar.
She sings and accompanies herself on the lute.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The loot from the burglary included a valuable antique lute."

proposition, preposition

Proposition or proposition means an offer or suggestion, or a plan or scheme--
He explained the proposition to the committee, and they agreed to consider it.
His proposition seems more reasonable than the others.

Proposition also means a formal statement on a subject brought up for discussion or debate--
"...and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
We are going to discuss the proposition that men and women should be equals.

Preposition or preposition is a part of speech ( kind of word ) that shows the relationship between the subject ( actor ) of a sentence and the object ( acted upon )--
In the sentence "I am going to the store", "to" is the preposition.
Each one of these is a preposition: with, to, from, over, under, on, up, down, and out.
A preposition may also show time, distance, or location, as in: "I have to go to work at 9."
 
Now that you know that, you can say--
"The proposition to have the students memorize each preposition was voted down."

alimentary, elementary

Alimentary or alimentary means concerning nutrition or nourishment--
This food tastes good, but its alimentary value is low.
The alimentary canal includes all of the digestive organs.
The alimentary system removes useful nutrients from the food we eat, and discards the rest.

Elementary or elementary means basic or simple, or composed of the most simple basic parts, literally or figuratively--
He has trouble solving elementary problems; he's not ready for advancement.
"Elementary, my dear Watson."
Elementary school starts at kindergarten and ends at the fifth or sixth grade.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She is taking the elementary course on the alimentary system."

motive, motif

Motive or motive means the thing that prompts someone to a particular action, as an incentive or as a driving force--
The motive was revenge.
He had the means and the opportunity to commit this crime, but what was the motive?

Motif or motif means a recurring theme or or idea in a work of art--
The music changes tempo whenever we hear the horn motif.
His favorite literary motif is falling into the water.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The motive behind his doodling was to develop a motif he could use in his paintings, as a signature."

abdominal, abominable

Abdominal or abdominal means having to do with the belly, containing the digestive organs, also called the abdomen--
He went to the doctor, complaining of abdominal pain.
He has abdominal cramps; we think it was something he ate.

Abominable or abominable means really awful, loathsome, or disagreeable--
I wish that woman would correct her child's abominable behavior.
This meatloaf isn't just bad; it's abominable.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He informed the nurse of his abdominal pain, using abominable language."

varies, various

Varies or varies is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of the verb ( action word ) "vary", meaning  to change or alter, or to change or to be changed--
The weather here rarely varies; it is always mild.
His reaction varies, depending on his emotional state.

Various or various means assorted or of different kinds--
We'll need to check out the details of the various plans before we decide.
We have various options in your price range; would you like to see them all?

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The menu varies--sometimes there are various dishes, sometimes only one or two."