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."