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Primary English · Year 4Chapter 1 · Spelling patterns in depth
Year 4 English · Spelling patterns in depth · Lesson 1.6

Year 4 English: Homophones and near-homophones

Part of the Year 4 English spelling patterns in depth chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

1.6

Homophones and near-homophones

Year 4
Choose the right homophone or near-homophone by its meaning, Spell pairs such as dessert and desert, stationary and stationery, and principal and principle
Story. Ella is making a poster for the school fair. She checks every word twice, because two words that sound alike can mean very different things.

A homophone sounds the same as another word, but has a different spelling and meaning.

A near-homophone sounds almost the same. Some pairs, such as dessert and desert, sound very alike.

Read the sentence and ask: what does the gap need? Then choose the word that has that meaning.

WordMeaningWordMeaning
principalthe head teacher, or the main oneprinciplea rule or belief
councila group that runs a town or areacounseladvice
stealto take what is not yourssteela strong metal
loosenot tight or fixed firmlyloseto be unable to find, or not to win
Pairs of homophones and near-homophones, with their meanings.

Key ideas

  • Choose by meaning, not by how the word sounds.
  • Dessert is the sweet food at the end of a meal, and it has two s letters. Desert is dry sand, with one s.
  • Stationary means not moving. Stationery means paper, pens and envelopes.
  • Principal means the head teacher or the main one. Principle means a rule or belief.
Worked example 1.6.1
After dinner we had a sweet   of fruit and cream.
Choose: desert (a dry, sandy place with very little rain) or dessert (the sweet food that is eaten at the end of a meal).

Method. Choose the word by its meaning, not by how it sounds.

  1. Read the sentence. Think about what the gap means.
    After dinner we had a sweet ___ of fruit and cream.
  2. Match the meaning. The word that fits has this meaning.
    dessert means the sweet food that is eaten at the end of a meal
  3. Check the other word. Put it in the gap. Does it still mean the same?
    desert (a dry, sandy place with very little rain) does not fit this meaning
  4. Write the answer.
    dessert

Check. Read the sentence with dessert in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Homophones and near-homophones can sound alike. The meaning of the sentence decides which one to write.

Worked example 1.6.2
The   gave a speech at the start of the school assembly.
Choose: principle (a rule or belief about how to behave) or principal (the head teacher of a school, or the main one).

Method. Choose the word by its meaning, not by how it sounds.

  1. Read the sentence. Think about what the gap means.
    The ___ gave a speech at the start of the school assembly.
  2. Match the meaning. The word that fits has this meaning.
    principal means the head teacher of a school, or the main one
  3. Check the other word. Put it in the gap. Does it still mean the same?
    principle (a rule or belief about how to behave) does not fit this meaning
  4. Write the answer.
    principal

Check. Read the sentence with principal in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Homophones and near-homophones can sound alike. The meaning of the sentence decides which one to write.

Worked example 1.6.3
Ali bought a new   of football boots.
Choose: pair (two things that belong together) or pear (a sweet fruit that grows on a tree).

Method. Choose the word by its meaning, not by how it sounds.

  1. Read the sentence. Think about what the gap means.
    Ali bought a new ___ of football boots.
  2. Match the meaning. The word that fits has this meaning.
    pair means two things that belong together
  3. Check the other word. Put it in the gap. Does it still mean the same?
    pear (a sweet fruit that grows on a tree) does not fit this meaning
  4. Write the answer.
    pair

Check. Read the sentence with pair in the gap. ✓

Watch out. Homophones and near-homophones can sound alike. The meaning of the sentence decides which one to write.

Watch out

Watch out: a word can sound right and still be wrong. Read the whole sentence and check the meaning every time.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Read each sentence aloud and ask your child what the gap needs. Then point to the word that means that. Keep a list of pairs on the fridge and add a new pair each week.

Exercise 1F  Practice: homophones and near-homophones

1
FChoose the right word in each sentence, by its meaning.
(a)The camel carried water across the hot sandy  .
Choose: desert (a dry, sandy place with very little rain) or dessert (the sweet food that is eaten at the end of a meal).
(b)We bought pens, paper and envelopes from the   shop.
Choose: stationery (paper, pens and envelopes) or stationary (not moving).
(c)Telling the truth is an important   for everyone.
Choose: principal (the head teacher of a school, or the main one) or principle (a rule or belief about how to behave).
(d)The doctor gave my family wise   about healthy eating.
Choose: council (a group of people who run a town or an area) or counsel (advice, or to give advice).
2
FChoose the right word in each sentence, by its meaning.
(a)Please pin the notice to the classroom  .
Choose: bored (not interested, because nothing is happening) or board (a flat piece of wood, or a flat surface for notices).
(b)The bridge was built with strong   beams.
Choose: steal (to take something that is not yours) or steel (a strong metal).
(c)Gran told us a funny   about her school days.
Choose: tale (a story) or tail (the part at the back of an animal).
(d)Ben ate the   pizza by himself.
Choose: hole (an empty space or gap) or whole (complete, with nothing missing).
3
FChoose the right word in each sentence, by its meaning.
(a)The top button on my coat is  .
Choose: lose (to be unable to find, or not to win) or loose (not tight or fixed firmly).
(b)Please read the poem   so the class can hear.
Choose: allowed (given permission to do something) or aloud (out loud, so that others can hear).
(c)Mia held the   gently to steer the pony.
Choose: rain (water that falls from the clouds), reign (to rule as a king or queen) or rein (a strap used to guide a horse).
(d)I felt   during the long wait at the station.
Choose: board (a flat piece of wood, or a flat surface for notices) or bored (not interested, because nothing is happening).
4
FChoose the right word in each sentence, by its meaning.
(a)The bus stayed   at the traffic lights until they turned green.
Choose: stationary (not moving) or stationery (paper, pens and envelopes).
(b)Mia ate a ripe, juicy   for her snack.
Choose: pear (a sweet fruit that grows on a tree) or pair (two things that belong together).
(c)The local   voted to build a new park for families.
Choose: counsel (advice, or to give advice) or council (a group of people who run a town or an area).
(d)If you are not careful, you might   your gloves.
Choose: lose (to be unable to find, or not to win) or loose (not tight or fixed firmly).
5
PSAli writes We ate a sweet desert after tea. Write the sentence correctly.
6
PSMia writes The bus was stationery at the lights. Write the sentence correctly.
7
RSam says principal and principle mean the same thing. Is he right? Explain.
8
RAli says council and counsel are spelt differently but mean the same. Is he right? Explain.
9
FWhich word means a flat piece of wood, or a flat surface for notices: board or bored?
10
PSWrite one sentence with lose, and one with allowed, so that the meaning of each is clear.

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