crowd, crowed

Crowd or crowd means a large group of people; a throng--
There is a large crowd assembled, waiting for the ball to drop.
It's nice to be out in a well-dressed crowd on a special occasion.

Crowed or crowed is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "crow", meaning to gloat or exult, or to utter a loud cry of joy--
He crowed with delight when he got the good news.
When he crowed, she knew that the news was good.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"As soon as he crowed "Happy New Year!", the crowd began to shout."

prediction, predilection

Prediction or prediction means a forecast or prognostication; an idea of future events or trends--
We are each going to contribute one prediction for the new year.
His Superbowl prediction was correct last year, for the first time ever.

Predilection or predilection means a preference;  a predisposition or leaning ( in favor of )--
He has always had a predilection for little red sports cars.
I see we share a predilection for costume dramas.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Our prediction for next year is that the consumer's predilection for new sharing platforms will continue."

packed, pact

Packed or packed is the past tense ( yesterday, or some time ago ) of "pack", meaning to load or fill, as a suitcase or goods for shipping--
He packed his suitcase last night; I don't know what's taking him so long.
We packed the glasses in small cartons, and the dishes in cardboard barrels.

Packed may also mean filled or crowded, as a public place full of people--
The train was packed; no one else could get in the door.
They played to a packed house; there were people standing in the back, and in the aisles.

Pact or pact ( rhymes with packed ) means a treaty or agreement--
Here's an article about the arms pact that's been in the news.
Thye made a pact to meet every year on the same day, no matter what.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"We made a pact; whoever packed the bags has to unpack them."

hurts, hertz

Hurts or hurts is the third person singular ( he, she, it ) form of "hurt", meaning to injure or cause pain, physically or mentally--
Let go of my foot; that hurts!
Don't yell; that hurts his feelings.
Her attitude hurts business, but she doesn't seem to want to change.

Hurts may also be the plural of "hurt", meaning an injury or pain--
He remembered years later, the special bandages she put on his little hurts.
His hurts and scrapes were forgotten, as soon as he saw the ice cream truck.

Hertz or hertz ( rhymes with hurts ) is a unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second--
Radio waves are measured in hertz.
A blue whale will vocalize at 15-20 hertz.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"He learned that radio waves are called hertz, and now he's sure that it hurts him to listen."

nativity, naivete, naiveté

Nativity or nativity means birth; most commonly used to refer to the birth of Christ--
On December the 25th, Christians celebrate the nativity of Christ.
He often dreamed of returning to the place of his nativity.

Naivete or naivete ( also spelled naiveté or naivety ) means innocence, or the quality of being artlesss or simple--
Her naivete made a sort of shield; she didn't understand the meaning of their vulgar quips.
In his naivete, he believed them to be misguided, when, in fact, they were evil.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"In her naivete, she misunderstood the naughty joke--she thought it was a reference to the nativity."

flocks, phlox

Flocks or flocks is the plural ( more than one ) of "flock", meaning a group or herd; a number of animals of one kind kept together--
"There were shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night..."
After the snow stopped falling, there were flocks of birds, all clamoring for food.

Phlox or phlox ( rhymes with flocks ) means a flowering plant, common in gardens--
We will put phlox of different colors in front of the house.
I like to see the phlox blooming in Summer.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"The white phlox reminded him of flocks of sheep he had seen, wandering in the fields."

Note--"flox" ( rhymes with flocks ) is a scientific or technical term, concerning the manipulation of DNA--
If we could flox this gene, we might be able to stop the spread of the disease.

again, a gain

Again or again  ( one word ) means once more, or another time--
Would you say that again, please?
I would like to eat here again, when it isn't so crowded.

A gain or a gain ( two words ) means one ( a ) increase, winnings, or improvement ( gain ) --
All that work only brought us a gain of a few thousand dollars.
The trip was expensive, but the contacts he made were a gain.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If I show a gain of even a few pounds again, the doctor said I'll have to go on a diet."