crochet, crotchet

Crochet or crochet is a kind of needlework done with yarn and a hook, used to make sweaters, socks, and other garments--
She learned to crochet and made a sweater.
Grandma is going to crochet some booties for the baby.

Crotchet or crotchet most commonly means an odd whim, fancy, or fit of grouchiness--
Don't leave the door open; it's a favorite crotchet of his.
Crotchet may also mean a person given to odd whims, notions, or fits of grouchiness--
Grandpa should get out more; he's turning into an old crotchet.
Crotchet also means small sharp hook, or something hook-shaped, such as a quarter note, in music--
A crotchet lasts 1/4 as long as a whole note.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"It's a crotchet of Grandma's that we take her crochet hooks and hide them."

lays, laze

Lays or lays is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "lay", meaning, when said of a thing, to place or put down, literally or figuratively--
He always lays his coat on the chair, and then forgets where he put it.
He lays his fears to rest when he hears his favorite song.

Laze or laze ( rhymes with lays ) means to idle or lounge about in a lazy way--
It's a perfect day to laze in a hammock and read.
That dog will laze by the fire all day if you don't take him out.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"On nice days, she lays an old quilt on the lawn, and the children laze the afternoon away."

Note--"lays" may also be the plural ( more than one ) of "lay", meaning a narrative song or poem--
He has been learning to play some old lays on his lute.
Note # 2--"lay's " means something belonging to a lay, meaning an old narrative poem or song--
This lay's lyrics are difficult.
"Lay's" might also be a contraction ( shortened form ) of "lay is", meaning a narrative poem or song--
This lay's hard to play!

come back, comeback

Come back or come back ( two words ) means return, physically, to a place, or to a former state or condition, such as popularity--
They made arrangements to come back next year.
Make sure the house is still in one piece when we come back.
He made plans to come back, even wealthier and more influential than before his fall.

Come back, said of something forgotten, may mean to return to memory--
It will all come back to you after you calm down.

Come back may also mean to retort, or to talk back--
No matter what we say to him, he feels a need to come back with a smart remark.

Comeback or comeback ( one word ) means a riposte or a witty retort--
He is always ready with a clever comeback, no matter how serious the situation.

Comeback may also describe a performance given after a long break or retirement--
The star is hoping her comeback tour will restablish her popularity.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"When I come back with the principal, try to resist the urge to offer a flippant comeback to everything he says."

gallon, galleon

Gallon or gallon is a unit of liquid measure, equal to four quarts--
Can you believe the price of a gallon of gas?
Don't forget to buy a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk.

Galleon or galleon means a ship; a large square-rigged wooden sailing ship--
They are hoping to find an old Spanish galleon, one that is said to have sunk nearby with all of its treasure.
He dreamed of being an explorer, and sailing in an old wooden galleon.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If we can refurbish this old galleon, we can sail across the ocean without using even one gallon of gas."

Note--"galloon" means a kind of decorative braid, as might be used on military uniforms--
The costume was embellished with several yards of silver galloon.

undermine, under mine

Undermine or undermine ( one word ) means to weaken or destroy by digging under, literally, or through hidden or secret means, figuratively--
The general has ordered us to undermine their defenses by digging under the walls.
He sees any suggestion for change as an attempt to undermine his authority.

Under mine or under mine ( two words ) means beneath ( under ) something that belongs to me ( mine )--
I think your coat is under mine; look again.
If they're in alphabetical order, his name should be under mine.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Put your signature under mine, so management won't see this as an attempt to undermine the new regulations."

stupid, stooped

Stupid or stupid means unintelligent, slow-witted, dull, or senseless--
You're not stupid, you just need to learn to think before you speak.
This is such a stupid movie!

Stooped or stooped is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "stoop", meaning to bend over, or to bend forward and down--
I must have dropped my wallet when I stooped to pick up my keys.
He nearly fell over when he stooped to pick up the package on the step.

Stooped or stooped may also describe someone who is bent over, or  bent forward and down--
They saw an old man, stooped from age, and stopped to ask if he needed help.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I stooped to pick up a penny and dropped my purse. How stupid of me!"

patty, paddy

Patty or patty means a flattened cake or loaf, as of ground meat or vegetables--
Form the mixture into a patty and fry it in hot oil.
Put some foil between each hamburger patty, so they won't stick.

Paddy or paddy means a rice field, or less commonly, uncut rice--
They will spend weeks harvesting the rice paddy.
She took some lovely photographs of the sun setting over a rice paddy.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We got some rice fresh from the paddy, added eggs and flour to make a patty, and baked it in the oven."

Note--not to be confused with "Patty", a nickname for "Patricia"--
Does Patty still want to try out for the team?
Or with "Paddy", a nickname for Patrick--
How long will Paddy be staying?
Note # 2--"Patsy" is also a nickname for Patricia--
Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Patsy Cline!
Not to be confused with "patsy", meaning a dupe or scapegoat--
They are looking for a patsy to take the blame for their scam.

oleo, olio

Oleo or oleo is an old-fashioned word for margarine or imitation butter made with lard or animal fat--
Fry the patties in a tablespoon of oleo.
Most people use margarine made from vegetable oil now, instead of oleo or oleomargarine.

Olio or olio ( rhymes with oleo ) means a stew, or a mixture in general--
Here's an old-fashioned recipe for an olio made with beef, chicken, ham, and vegetables.
She made an olio out of the leftovers, a very tasty one.
They'll be performing a musical olio, made of short pieces by different composers.

Olio may also mean a sort of sideshow performed on a theater stage--
While they're changing the set, we'll have the comics do an olio in front of the curtain.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"To make the olio, first brown the meat in a lump of oleo."

warn, worn

Warn or warn means to caution or alert to possible danger or harm--
The town requires that we post a sign to warn people that the road ends ahead.
The alarm will sound in time to warn the tenants of any danger.

Worn or worn ( rhymes with warn ) describes something that shows signs of use or handling--
It looks a bit worn, but it's still useful.
Your coat is starting to look worn. You should get a new one.
Worn may describe a tired-looking person--
She had a worn look on her face, and didn't seem to hear what he was saying.

Worn is also a past participle ( used with a helper verb ) of "wear", meaning to have on one's body, as clothing, etc.--
She found the jacket she had worn the night before, draped over the fence.
She was pleased to have the ring her grandmother had worn for so many years.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I ought to warn you not to wear anything that looks worn to the interview."

an ocean, a notion

An ocean or an ocean means one ( an ) sea or large body of salt water ( ocean )--
An ocean is home to many forms of life.
An ocean may describe something related to the sea--
There's an ocean breeze, so it doesn't feel too hot.
They will be sailing to Europe on an ocean liner.

An ocean may also mean, informally,  a vast quantity of something--
"It would take an ocean of calamine lotion..."
We still have an ocean of mail to sort.

A notion or a notion means one ( a ) idea or concept ( notion )--
He had a notion that he'd like to drive there instead of flying.
I have a notion that she dislikes him.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He sent for these brochures because he had a notion that he'd like to take an ocean cruise."

perspective, prospective

Perspective or perspective means a drawing technique used to show distance, space, volume, and how they relate to one another; a technique for making a flat image appear to have 3 dimensions--
One method of perspective drawing is to orient everything to a vanishing point on the horizon.
The drawing looks odd because the perspective is faulty.

Perspective may also mean a view, as seen from a certain point--
There's an interesting perspective of the town below; you can see it from the back porch.

Perspective is used, figuratively, to mean the ability to keep all of the relevant facts and their relationships to one another in mind--
Let's discuss this later, after we've had a chance to gain some perspective.
You'll have to bear all of this in mind, in order to see the problem in perspective.

Prospective or prospective means potential, or expected in the future--
Have you met the prospective tenants? They seem nice.
John is a prospective employee. I'd like you to show him around.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"As a prospective team member, try to keep things in perspective. You may still have a fine career if you don't make the final cut."

douse, dowse

Douse or douse means to soak with water or liquid; to throw water on--
He used the dishwater to douse the fire, and then stomped on it to extinguish it completely.
If the dog starts barking at nothing again, just douse him with a cup of water.

Dowse or dowse means to divine the location of water underground, by means of a forked stick, using special knowledge or magic--
He learned to dowse from his grandfather, who showed him how to look for water underground.
When they heard he could dowse, they hired him to tell them where to dig the well.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He offered to dowse for them, and said that they could douse him with water from an underground spring  that very day."

indeterminate, undetermined

Indeterminate or indeterminate means impossible to settle or decide; not fixed, evaluated, or stipulated; having no definite end [of a jail sentence]--
We need a set of definite rules, not an indeterminate set of expectations.
We can't sign this contract because the conditions of the sale are indeterminate.
The judge has ordered an indeterminate prison sentence; he won't be released until he agrees to cooperate.

Undetermined or undetermined means not yet decided or settled; not yet established--
The cause of death was reported as undetermined, but we believe it was murder.
His fate as yet undetermined, he anxiously awaited the test results.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The number of persons involved remains undetermined; they milled about as an indeterminate mob."

specks, specs

Specks or specks is the plural ( more than one ) of "speck", meaning a mote or particle--
When she saw a few specks of dust, she cleaned the whole house.
From this altitiude, even cars look like tiny specks.

Specs or specs ( rhymes with specks ) is an informal term for "specifications", meaning a detailed chart, showing or decribing how something is made or how a machine runs--
I don't think I can repair this refrigerator without the specs.
Look for the specs; they should be in an envelope or bag taped to the bottom.

Specs or specs is also a very old-fashioned slang word for "spectacles", meaning eyeglasses--
Grandpa is looking for his specs; he can't see without them.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"She found the specs for the washer when she reached behind it to wipe away some specks of soot."

shudder, shutter

Shudder or shudder means a sort of shaking or convulsive involuntary physical movement, from cold, fear, or horror--
A shudder ran through him when he heard the eerie creaking sound.
"It's cold", she said with a shudder.

Shutter or shutter means one of the two pieces of wood that closes over a window, or one of a decorative pair that doesn't close--
This shutter fell down, and now there is only one left hanging there. Can you fix it?
Just close one shutter, and we'll have some light from the open one.

Shutter or shutter may also mean the part of a camera that opens and closes, to admit light and expose the film--
You might be able to catch a picture of the dog running if you use a faster shutter speed.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"A shudder ran through me when I heard the groaning sound, but it was only the wind blowing the shutter."

Note--Not to be confused with "shut her" meaning close ( shut ) [something] belonging to a female ( her )--
Tell her to shut her mouth.
She shut her hand in the door.

crock, croc

Crock or crock means a stoneware or pottery jar, pot, or container--
There is more butter in a crock on the pantry shelf.
Make sure to save the crock the cheese came in. I want to use it as a planter.

Croc or croc ( rhymes with crock ) is an informal or familiar term for "crocodile", meaning thr animal similar to an alligator--
He never saw the croc coming. It bit him before he had time to shoot.
That's not a floating log; it's a croc!

Now that you know that, you can say--
"That old crock is full of his souvenirs, including a small croc he once caught, dried and stuffed."

bookends, book ends

Bookends or bookends ( one word ) means a pair of heavy objects used to keep books standing up on a shelf, desk, or table--
He has two old bronze gargoyles on his desk, for bookends.
Two bricks make useful, utilitarian bookends.

Book ends or book ends ( two words ) is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "end", meaning to come to a conclusion or to  finish, said of  a literary work of some kind ( book )--
Don't tell me how this book ends! You'll spoil it!
I can't wait to find out how this book ends!

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The book ends when the detective discovers the body of a man murdered with one of his own bookends."

Note--"books end" means the finish or conclusion ( end ) of more than one literary work ( books)--
Many of his books end with a surprise.
Note # 2--"book's end" means the finish or conclusion ( end ) belonging to one particular literary work ( book's )--
This book's end is a real shocker!
Note # 3--"books' ends" means the conclusions ( ends ) belonging to more than one literary work ( books' )--
This authors books' ends are always exciting. [ awkward but logical ]

elusive, illusive

Elusive or elusive means mentally difficult to grasp, eluding a clear perception or understanding--
The concept of democratic government may remain elusive, unless the students are offered real-life illustrations and examples of how our government works.
Algebra seems elusive, until practice makes the idea of a variable seem logical.

Elusive may also mean difficult to catch, or skillfully evasive--
"Across my dreams, with nets of wonder, I chase the bright elusive butterfly of love..."
He got a hook into the elusive old trout, but it got away.

Illusive or illusive means decptive or unreal--
They spent years searching for the illusive fountain of youth.
The illusive philosopher's stone was said to be used to turn lead into gold.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He is trying to explain an elusive concept that many people believe to be illusive."

Note--"illusory" is more commonly used than "illusive"; it has the same meaning--
Your fears are illusory; the noise was only the wind.
Note # 2--"elusory" is less commonly used than "elusive"; it has the same meaning--
These concepts won't be elusory if you work on a lesson that is age-appropriate.

ascertain, as certain

Ascertain or ascertain ( one word ) means to make sure of a fact or facts; to find out definitely--
Before we begin the investigation, we'll call the coroner, who will ascertain the cause of death.
Let's call them in, so we can ascertain the facts before we make a decision.

As certain or as certain ( two words ) means to some extent, measure or limit; equally ( as ) sure or free from doubt ( certain )--
I am as certain of the spot as if I had been there only yesterday.
There's not a doubt in my mind--I'm as certain of his capability as I am of my own.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"I won't feel as certain of his guilt as the rest of you are until I can ascertain that he had a motive for the crime."

Note--"a certain"  ( two words ) describes one ( a ) thing or idea that is definite or particular ( certain )--
She has a certain tone that lets you know she's annoyed.
"A certain smile, a certain face..."

solo, so low

So low or so low ( two words ) means very, or to the extent specified ( so ) near the ground or surface, or small in measure or number ( low )--
The temperature is so low that the pond is frozen over.
The table is so low that we'll have to sit on the floor to eat.
So low may also describe a very deep ( low ) voice--
Her voice is so low; people are surprised when they meet her and see how small she is.

Solo or solo ( one word ) means a musical  number or act written for or performed by one person--
She does a wonderful solo in the second act.
He wants to sing a solo, but the director won't let him unless he promises to practice.

Solo may also mean alone, in a general sense, or without a companion or copilot--
She has been solo since her husband died three years ago.
This is his first solo flight, and he's nervous.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He was asked to sing a solo, but the pay was so low that he refused."

nobody, no body

Nobody or nobody ( one word ) means no one; not one person--
We were supposed to have a meeting, but nobody showed up. 
I knocked, but nobody answered.

Nobody is also an informal word meaning an unimportant person; someone with no status or connections--
He didn't want his friends to see him talking to a nobody.
He's a real nobody; she doesn't even know he's alive.

No body or no body ( two words ) means not any ( no ) corpse or cadaver ( body )--
It will be difficult to prosecute a murder case, with no body.
We couldn't have a funeral with no body, so we just had a memorial service.
No body also means not any ( no ) consistency or substance ( body )--
I bought this product because my hair has no body; it won't stay in place.
This fabric has no body; we'll have to put a lining in the jacket so it will hold its shape.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He wore a mask and a black robe, so he's look like a head with no body, but nobody was frightened."