AVKO’s Tricky Word List

abjure adjure aisle isle I'll aural oral

about a bout alight a light auricle oracle
abreast a breast align a line Australia Austria
abridge a bridge all awl avail a veil, a vale
abroad a broad all ready already aversion a version
absence absents all together altogether avocation vocation, a vocation
absorb adsorb all ways always aw awe
ABstract abSTRACT alley ally award a ward
abuse abuse allot a lot aware a ware
(uh BYOO-ss) (uh BYOOzz) allude elude awash a wash
abysmal abyssal allusion illusion away a way aweigh
accede exceed allusive elusive illusive axle ax'll
accept except aloft a loft aye eye I
access excess aloud allowed a loud bad bade
acclaim a claim exclaim altar alter bail bale
acclamation acclimation alternate (adj.) alternate (v.) bairn barn
acclimation exclamation altogether all together bait bate
accord a cord always all ways ball bawl
accuse excuse amen amend emend ballet ballot
accustom a custom amiss a miss baloney bologna
acetic ascetic amoral a moral immoral ban band
acme acne amuck amock banned band
acne acme amuse a muse banned it bandit
acquire a quire, a choir anal annal banned Joe banjo
across a cross analyst annalist banquet banquette bouquet
ad add ankle angel angle bard barred
adapt adept adopt ant aunt Aunt bare bear
ado adieu adieux ante anti Auntie bark barque
advent event antidote anecdote baron barren
adverse averse, a verse apart a part barrage (dam) barrage (fire at)
advice advise apatite appetite base bass
affect effect infect appose oppose bask basque Basque
affected effected infected apposition opposition baton batten
affective effective infested appraise apprise bauble bubble
affirm a firm arc ark bay bey
affix a fix aria area bazaar bizzare
afford a ford ascent assent, a scent be bee Bea
affray a fray assign a sign beach beech
affright a fright assist a cyst bear bare
affront a front assurance insurance bearing baring
Afghan afghan assure insure beat beet
afield a field aster asked her beau bow
afire a fire astray a stray beer bier
aflame a flame astride a stride beetle betel Beatle
afloat a float atlas Atlas befit be fit
afoot a foot atom Adam before be for
afoul a foul attach attaché befoul be foul
agape agape (n.) attest a test befriends be friends
aged ("AYJd") aged ("AY jud") attire a tire; a tyre beggar bigger
aid aide auger augur bell belle
ail ale aught ought belong be long
air heir Eire e'er ere august August below be low
airy aerie eerie aura Ora benign be nine, B-9
berate be rate candid can did, candied close clothes kloze
beriberi bury Bary cannon canon coal kohl
berry bury Barry Bary cant can't coarse course
berth birth canter cantor coat cote
beside besides canvas canvass coffin coughing
bi-weekly buy weekly capital capitol coin quoin
biennial biannual capper caper colon colonel kernel
bight bite byte carat caret carrot complacent complaisant
bin been Ben caries carries complement compliment
blackmail black male carol carrel complementary complimentary
blase blaze carrion carry on compost compote
blench blanch carton cartoon concert concerted
blue blew bleu casino cassino conch conk
boarder border cast caste condor candor
bogey bogie bogy castor caster confident confidant
bole bowl boll casual causal conscience conscious
bootaee booty bootie catholic Catholic consume consomme
bore boar Boer cay key quay conTENT CONtent
bored board cayuse Cayuse conTEST CONtest
born borne bourne cede seed continents continence
borough burro burrow celery salary conTRACT CONtract
bouillon bullion cell sell contusion confusion
boulder bolder cellar seller CONverse conVERSE
boy buoy censer censor CONvert conVERT
braid brayed cent scent sent CONvict conVICT
braise brays braze center sent her coo coup
brake break cereal serial coolie coolly coulee cooly
brazier brassiere certain curtain coop coupe coup
breach breech cession session coos coups
bread bred chaise chase shays copse corpse corps
breadth breath breathe chalice challis core corps
brewed brood Chanukah Hanukkah Hanukah corespondent correspondent
bridal bridle chard shard charred cosine co-sign
Briton Britain Chassidim Hassidim council counsel
broach brooch chaste chased course coarse
broom brougham cheap cheep cousin cozen
brows browse check cheque Czech creak creek
bruise brews cherry sherry cheri crepe crape
bruit brute chews choose cretin Cretan
buffet buff it chic shiek chick crevasse crevice
buffet buff Fay chilly Chile chili crewel cruel
build billed chin Qin crews cruise cruse
burg burgh China china crochet crotchet
burger burgher chirr churr croquet croquette
bus buss chitterlings chitlins chitlings cue queue Q
bust bussed choir quire currant current
but butt butte choler collar curser cursor
buy by bye bi- choral chorale corral sygnet signet
buyer byre chord cord cored cymbal symbol
cache cash chute shoot shute czar tsar
caddy caddie circumsize circumscribe daily Daly dally
calendar calender cite sight site dairy diary
callous callus clack claque dam damn
Calvary cavalry clause claws Claus dammed damned
canape canopy cleave cleave days daze day’s
cancer Cancer climb clime dear deer
decent descent dissent eight ate foal foul fowl
decree degree either ether for fore four
defeat "de" feet elegy eulogy forego forgo
defense defence (BR.) elicit illicit foreword forward
defer "de" fur empathy sympathy formally formerly
defile the53 file enervate energize fort forte
define the fine epic epoch forth fourth
definite definitive ergo ergot founder flounder
deform the form erosive erotic franc frank
degrade the grade err ere freeze frieze
deign dane Dane eruct erupt friar fryer
dejure the jury eruction eruption furry fury
deliberATE deLIBerate escargot escarole S-car go fussy fuzzy
delight the light EScort esCORT gaff gaffe
delirious delicious essay assay gage gauge
depart the part ewe yew you U gait gate
depravation deprivation except expect accept gaiter gator
deprice depreciate depredate exercise exorcise gale Gail Gayle
derby Derby Darby expectation expectoration gallery galley
derrier Londonderry Air expense expane gallon galleon
derriere dairy heir EXploit exPLOIT gamble gambol
desert dessert desert extant extent gang gangue
desperate disparate EXtract exTRACT gate gait
devise device eyelet islet gauche gouche
die dye faction fraction gaze gays
difference deference factious fractious gel jell
dike dyke factitious fictitious Gentile gentle
dine dyne fail faille file genus genius
diner dinner dining fain feign ghoul goal
dinghy dingey dingy faint feint gig gigue
dire dyer fair fare gild guild
disburse disperse faker fakir gilt guilt
disc disk farrow furrow gist jest
discomfit discomfort farther further glacier glazier
discreet discrete fate fete glutenous glutinous
disgust discussed faun fawn gnat Nat
divers diverse divers fay fey gnaw naw
do due dew faze phase phrase gneiss nice
do dough doe / does feat feet gnu knew new
dollar dolor fellah fellow gopher golfer go for
done dun ferrule ferule gorilla guerrilla
donjon dungeon ferry fairy gradation graduation
dose does doze fetal fatal grade grayed greyed
douse dowse feudal futile granite for granted
Dow Tao fiancé fiancée finance grate great
droop drupe filter philtre philter graze grays greys
dual duel finis finish fin grill grille
dully duly fir fur far grisly gristly grizzly
dying dyeing fisher fissure Fischer groan grown
dyslectic dyslexic flair flare guarantee guaranty
earn urn flammable imflammable guessed guest
eclipse ellipse flaunt flout guise guys
edition addition flea flee gyve jive
floe flow hail hale
53
When we pronounce “the” as flower flour hair hare
“dee” we get lots of homophones. flue flew flue hairy harry Harry
hall haul in inn lead led lied
halve have inane insane leaf lief
handsome hansom incest insect leak leek
haarass Harris incidents incidence lean lien
Harold herald incite insight lessen lesson lesion
harrier hairier incredible incredulous lesser lessor
hart heart increment excrement levee levy
hay hey indict indite liable libel
hays heys haze indiscreet indiscrete liar lyre
heal heel he'll inequity iniquity lichen liken
hear here ingenious ingenuous lie lye
heath hearth insure assure limb limn
hector Hector intense in tents linage lineage
heed he'd internal eternal external links lynx
herd heard interstate intestate intrastate literal littoral
heroin heroine heron INtimate intimATE lo low
hertz hurts INvalid inVALid load lode
hew hue Hugh inverse in verse loan lone
hi high hie inversion inn version loch lough lock
hide hied invidious insidious longue lounge
hie high hi irrigation irritation loop loupe
hied hide irrupt erupt eruct loot lute
him hymn isle aisle I'll lose Lou's Lew’s loose
hire higher its it's mackinaw Mackinac Island
hirsute her suit jail gaol mackintosh McIntosh
ho hoe jailer gaoler jailor madding maddening
hoar whore hore jalousie jealousy magnate magnet
hoard horde whored jam jamb magnificent munificent
hoarse horse house jibe gibe maid made
hole whole judicial judicious mail male
holy wholly holely jurist juror jury main mane
hoop whoop kelvin Calvin maize maze May's
hopped hoped key cay quay qui mall maul
hopping hoping kill kiln mandatary mandatory
hose hoes kilt killed manikin mannequin
hostel hostile kith kiss manna mañana
hour our are knave nave manner manor
human humane knight night "nite" mantel mantle
hurdle hurtle knit nit manure mature
hussy husky knot not mare mayor
hypercritical hypocritical know no marital martial
icy I see knows nose marshal martial
idol idyll idle kohl coal Cole marten martin Martian
ileum ilium lac lack mask masque
illusion allusion elusion ladies laddies mass Mass
immanent imminent lady laddy massed mast
immigrant emmigrant lam lamb masseur masseuse
immigration emmigration lama llama massif massive
imminent eminent lame lamé("lah MAY") masticate masturbate
immoral immortal amoral lane lain mate maté ("mah TAY")
IMpact imPACT laps lapse material materiel
impassable impassible largest largess maturation masturbation mastication
imperial imperious impervious lay lei me mi
impetus impetuous lazar laser mead meed
impotence importance impudence lea lee Lee mean mien
imprudent impudent leach leech meat meet mete
medal meddle metal nonsked nonskid pen pin
medial medical nosey noisy nosy pendant pendent
men's menses nouveau riche nouveaux riches perquisite prerequisite
menage menagerie numerous humorous persecute prosecute
meow miaow miaou oar o'er or ore persecution prosecution
mercy merci obJECT OBject personal personnel
meson mason Mason obsess abscess personality personalty
metal mettle meddle medal obtrude intrude perspective prospective
mewl mule ode owed petit petty petite
mews muse offal awful petrel petrol
mow ("moh") mow, a hay mow official officious phase faze phrase
middy midi ogle ogre pheasant peasant pleasant
might mite mate (in Australian) oh owe phonetics phonemics phonics
mil mill one won physic physique psychic
miler miller oracle auricle pi pie
millenary millinery ordinance ordnance pica pika
mimesis nemesis oriel oriole pidgin pigeon
mined mind orient Orient pinyon pinon pinion
miner minor oscillate osculate place plaice
minuet minute minute ("my NOOT") oscillation osculation plain plane
minx minks ought aught plait plate plat
miss Ms. Mrs. Miss overdo overdue plantar planter
missal missile overdoes overdose pleural plural
missed mist overseas oversees plow plough
misses Mrs. paced paste plum plumb
mister Mr. missed her pact packed pole poll Pole
miter mitre paean peon policlinic polyclinic
moa more pail pale polish Polish
moan mown pain pane politic politick
moat mote pair pare pear polity policy
modal model palate palette pallet populace populous
mode mowed pall pawl popular poplar
Monsieur Monsignor Messieurs palpate palpitate pore pour poor
moor Moor Moore paltry poultry porpoise purpose
morel moral pan Pan portend portent
mores more rays panty pantry poser poseur
morn mourn paper papier-mach´ posterior posterity
morning mourning paradox pair of docks, pair o' docs pox pocks pax
mot mote parameter perimeter praise prays preys
motif motive parcel partial partical pray prey
mousse moose mouse parish perish precede proceed
mouton mutton passable passible precedent president
muscle mussel muzzle passed past precession procession
mussed must pasty pastry pasty (pie) precipitate precipitous
mustard mustered pate paté ("pah TAY") PREmier preMIER premiere
naivete nativity patty paté prescribe proscribe
naught nought patients patience prescription proscription
naughty haughty patron patroon presentiment presentment
naval navel peace piece presents presence
nay née neigh peak peek pique pretest pretext
neither nether peal peel preview prevue
nettle net'll pearl purl pride pried
nicks nix pedal petal peddle prier pryer prior
niece Nice peer pier pries prize
noes nose knows peewee pewee principal principle
none nun pekoe piquot prodigal prodigious prodigy
profit prophet rheum room sear seer sere
proJECT PROject rheumy roomy seas sees seize
prophecy prophesy rho row roe secret secrete
propose purpose rhyme rime sects sex
pros prose ricochet Rick O'Shay seed cede
prostate prostrate riffle rifle sense cents scents
psi sigh Cy rigger rigor serf surf
pubic public right rite write sew so (sol) sow
publican republican Republican ring wring shanty chanty
pudding putting road rode rowed shear sheer
pundit punned it robed robbed shoe shoo
pupal pupil robing robbing sick sic
pussy (cat) pussy (a lot of puss) roil royal sighed side
put putt romaine roman Roman roamin' sign sine
putting putting romance Romance sing singe
pyx pix picks romantic Romantic singing singeing
quality quantity rood rude rued Sioux Sue Sault
quarts quartz roomer rumor slay sleigh
quit quiet quite root route sleight slight
rabbet rabbit rose rosé slew slue slough
rack wrack Rosh Hashana Rosh Hashanah sloe slow
racket racquet rote wrote sluff slough
rain reign rein rough ruff slough slew sluff slue
raise rays raze Ray’s Re’s ruin rune soar sore
raisin raison d'etre reason rye wry soared sword
rap wrap sac sack soave suave
rape rape ("rah peh") sachet sashay sol soul sole
raped rapped sail sale solder soldier solid
raping rapping sake sake ("SAH kay") solo so low
rapt rapped wrapped salaam salami shalom some sum
ray re Sally sally son sun
rays raise raze Ray’s salon saloon sonny sunny
razor raiser salvage savage sooth soothe
ravel unravel salve slave solve sow ("soh") sow (female pig)
re-sent resent sanatorium sanitarium sow so, sol, sew
re-sign resign sane seine sox socks
read reed Reid savant servant spade spayed
read red savor savior/saviour specie species
real reel savior fair savoir-faire spitting spiting
reality realty scabs scabies spoor spore
reBEL REBel scalled scald staid stayed
RECord reCORD scarabaeus scarab stair stare
Redding, CA Reading, England scared scarred stake steak
reek wreak scaring scarring stanch staunch
reFUSE REFuse scene seen stationary stationery
registrar register scent cent sent steel steal Steele
renaissance renascence schilling shilling step steppe
repassed repast scrabble Scrabble stile style
repertoire repertory scraped scrapped stoop stoup
residents residence scraper scrapper straight strait
resister resistor scraping scrapping straighten straiten
respectfully respectively scrip script striper stripper
rest wrest scull skull sturgeon surgeon
resume resumµ sea see si, C subpoena subpena
retch wretch seam seem succor sucker
review revue seaman semen suede swayed
suit suite sweet trusty trustee whine wine
sumac sumach tutor Tudor whirled world
sumptuary sumptuous tux tucks whit wit
superstitions superstitious tyke tike whither wither
surge serge undue undo wholly holy holly
surplice surplus unravel ravel whose who's
sward sword soared use ("YOO-ss") use ("YOO-zz") wind, the wind up
sweet sweat suite used to ("YOOzd too") winner winter
syntax sin tax used to ("YOO stuh") winsome win some
tableau tableaux tableaus valance valence woman women
taboo tabu vane vein vain wonted wanted
tacet tacit vary very wood would
tacks tax veil vale worst wurst
tail tale vellum velum wouldn't wooden
talesman talisman venal venial wreath wreathe
taper tapir veracious voracious yawl you all
tare tear tear verses versus vs. yoke yolk
taro tarot vial vile viol your you're
taupe tope vice vise Yule you'll Ewell Yu
taut taught villain villein
tea tee ti virtu virtue
team teem viscous viscus
teas tease tees vitals victuals "vittles"
tennis tenace vizard wizard
tepee teepee vocation vacation avocation
tern turn voyager voyeur
the thee wade weighed
their they're there wail whale wale
thistle dew this'll do wain wane
though through thorough Wayne
threw through waist waste
throe throw wait weight
throne thrown waive wave
thyme time waiver waver
tide tied want wont
tier tear tear won't
timber timbre ware wear
to too two where
toad towed toed way whey
tocsin toxin weigh
toe tow we wee oui
toffee toffy weak week
toil toile weakly weekly
toilet toilette weal we'll
ton tun wheel wheal
tool tulle wean ween
tortuous torturous weather wether whether
touch touchµ weave we've
tough tuff weed we'd
tracked tract weft left
tray trey weir weird we're
tri try Welch welsh Welsh
troop troope were we're weir
trooper trouper wet whet
trough through which witch
trumpet strumpet while wile