Spelling that gets confused

'Ant' is the small insect; 'aunt' is a parent's sister or a close female relative of the older generation.

'Blue' is the colour; 'blew' is the past tense of 'to blow'.

'Board' is a flat surface, a group of directors, or the act of getting on transport; 'bored' means feeling dull and restless.

'Bought' is the past tense of 'buy' (to purchase); 'brought' is the past tense of 'bring' (to carry to a place).

One is the device that stops a vehicle, the other means to shatter or a rest.

'Breath' is the noun (the breath, the air you take in); 'breathe' is the verb (to breathe).

'Buy' means to purchase something; 'by' is the preposition for proximity, authorship, or deadline.

'Cell' is a biological cell, a prison cell, or a phone cell; 'sell' means to exchange goods for money.

One is a dry landscape or to abandon, the other is the sweet course.

'Dye' is to colour with dye, or the colouring substance itself; 'die' means to cease to live, or is a mould/stamp.

'Flour' is the ground grain used in baking; 'flower' is the colourful bloom of a plant.

'Great' means excellent, important, or large; 'grate' means to shred food, make a harsh sound, or is a metal grid.

'Hair' is the strands that grow on the head and body; 'hare' is the fast wild mammal similar to a rabbit.

One is the verb meaning to perceive sound; the other indicates this location.

'Herd' is a group of animals, or to drive animals together; 'heard' is the past tense of 'hear'.

'Hi' is the informal greeting (hello); 'high' means tall, elevated, or at a great level.

'Inn' is a pub, tavern, or small hotel; 'in' is the preposition of location, or the adjective meaning fashionable.

The apostrophe contracts 'it is' or 'it has'; without it, the word shows possession.

'Knot' is a fastening made by tying rope, or a unit of nautical speed; 'not' is used to make a sentence negative.

One means to fail to keep something, the other means not tight.

'Made' is the past tense of 'to make'; 'maid' is a female domestic worker or an unmarried woman.

'Mail' is the postal delivery or email; 'male' refers to the masculine sex.

'Mane' is the long hair on a horse's or lion's neck; 'main' means principal or most important.

"Maybe" (one word) = perhaps, possibly; "may be" (two words) = might be, could be.

'Meat' is animal flesh used as food; 'meet' means to encounter someone or a gathering.

'Mist' is thin fog or light spray; 'missed' is the past tense of miss, to fail to hit, to be absent, or to feel the absence of.

'New' means recently made or discovered; 'knew' is the past tense of 'to know'.

'Night' is the period of darkness; 'knight' is a medieval armoured warrior or a chess piece.

'Nose' is the organ of smell; 'knows' is the third person singular of 'to know'.

'One' is the number 1 or an impersonal pronoun; 'won' is the past tense of 'to win'.

'Our' is the first-person plural possessive pronoun (belonging to us); 'hour' is the unit of time equal to 60 minutes.

One is the absence of conflict or a calm state; the other is a portion or fragment of something.

'Pear' is the fruit; 'pair' means two matching things or people that go together.

'Plain' means simple, without decoration, or a flat landscape; 'plane' is an aircraft or a flat surface.

One means silence or calm, the other means fairly or rather.

'Rap' is a sharp knock or the music genre; 'wrap' means to cover by winding or folding something around.

'Red' is the colour; 'read' (past tense) is pronounced exactly like 'red', it is the past of 'to read'.

'Road' is a path for vehicles; 'rode' is the past tense of 'to ride'.

'Sail' is the fabric that catches wind on a boat, or to travel by boat; 'sale' is the act of selling.

'Sea' is the ocean or a large body of salt water; 'see' means to perceive with the eyes or to understand.

'Some' means an unspecified amount or number; 'sum' is the total of added numbers or an amount of money.

'Son' is a male child; 'sun' is the star at the centre of our solar system.

'Steal' means to take something without permission; 'steel' is the strong metal alloy.

'Tale' is a story or narrative; 'tail' is the rear appendage of an animal or the end of something.

'Than' is used in comparisons; 'then' indicates time, sequence, or logical consequence.

One indicates a place, the other shows possession.

'They're' is the contraction of 'they are'; 'there' refers to a place or introduces a sentence ('there is/are').

'Through' means "from one side to the other"; 'though' means "although". They look similar but have nothing in common.

'To' is the preposition of direction or the infinitive marker; 'too' means also or excessively.

'Vary' is the verb meaning to change or differ; 'very' is the adverb meaning to a great degree.

'Wait' means to stay in place until something happens; 'weight' is how heavy something is.

'Way' is a path, method, or direction; 'weigh' means to measure how heavy something is.

'We're' is the contraction of 'we are'; 'were' is the past tense of 'be' for I/we/you/they.

'Wear' means to have clothing on your body; 'where' asks about or indicates a location.

One is the atmospheric conditions, the other introduces an alternative.

'Week' is the seven-day period; 'weak' means lacking strength or intensity.

'Whine' means to complain in a high-pitched voice, or is a high-pitched sound; 'wine' is the fermented grape drink.

'Whole' means complete or entire; 'hole' is an opening or gap.

'Witch' is a person who practises magic; 'which' is the pronoun used in questions and relative clauses.

'Wood' is the hard material from trees; 'would' is the modal verb used in conditionals and polite requests.

'Wore' is the past tense of 'to wear'; 'war' is armed conflict between groups or nations.

One is the verb for putting words on paper; the other means correct, a direction, or a moral claim.

'Your' shows that something belongs to you; 'you\'re' is a shortening of 'you are'.

One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.

'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).

'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.

'Allowed' is the past tense of 'allow' (to permit); 'aloud' means making an audible sound.

"Already" = by now or sooner than expected; "all ready" = completely prepared or everyone is ready.

'Altar' is the sacred table in a church or temple; 'alter' means to change or modify something.

'Altogether' (one word) means entirely or in total; 'all together' (two words) means everyone in the same place.

"Apart" = separated, at a distance; "a part" = a piece or member of something larger.

'Assure' means to tell someone with confidence that something is true; 'ensure' means to take steps to make certain something happens.

'Aye' means yes, especially in formal, nautical, or Scottish/Irish usage; 'eye' is the organ of sight or the verb to observe closely.

'Bale' is a large bundle of hay, straw, or cotton; 'bail' is a security deposit for release from custody, or to scoop water out.

'Bare' means uncovered or minimal; 'bear' is the large animal or means to carry and endure.

'Bass' is a low musical register or a freshwater fish; 'base' is a foundation, headquarters, or the adjective meaning low or dishonorable.

'Bawl' means to cry or shout loudly; 'ball' is the round object for sports, a formal dance, or a great time.

'Bore' is the past of 'to bear', or means to drill/tunnel, or is a boring person; 'boar' is a male wild pig.

'Carat' is the unit of gold purity or the weight of gemstones; 'carrot' is the orange root vegetable.

'Cite' means to quote or reference a source; 'site' is a physical location or a website.

One means to complete or enhance something; the other is praise or a flattering remark.

'Conscious' is the adjective meaning aware or awake; 'conscience' is the moral sense that guides right and wrong.

'Course' is a path, a subject you study, or a meal; 'coarse' means rough in texture or rude in manner.

'Creek' is a small stream or inlet; 'creak' is a sharp squeaking sound, or to make such a sound.

'Cue' is a signal to act or a billiard stick; 'queue' is a line of people or things waiting.

'Device' is the noun (a gadget); 'devise' is the verb (to plan or invent something).

'Dual' means having two parts or functions; 'duel' is a formal combat between two people.

"Everyday" (one word) is an adjective meaning ordinary or daily; "every day" (two words) means each day.

'Exorcise' = to expel an evil spirit; 'exercise' = physical activity, practice, or use of a right.

'Fair' means just, light in colour, or a public event; 'fare' is the price of transport or how you get on.

'Faze' means to disturb or disconcert someone; 'phase' is a stage or period of development, or to introduce gradually.

'Feat' is an impressive achievement or act; 'feet' is the plural of 'foot' (body part or unit of measurement).

'Flair' is a natural talent or stylish aptitude; 'flare' is a sudden burst of light or flame, or to spread outward.

'Flea' is the small jumping parasite insect; 'flee' means to run away or escape from danger.

'Foul' means disgustingly dirty or a sports penalty; 'fowl' refers to domestic birds like chickens or turkeys.

'Gene' is a unit of heredity in DNA; 'jean' is a denim fabric or, in plural, denim trousers.

'Gilt' is a thin layer of gold applied to a surface, or the adjective gilded/golden; 'guilt' is the feeling of having done wrong.

'Groan' is a deep sound of pain or annoyance; 'grown' is the past participle of 'to grow'.

'Guest' is an invited person or visitor; 'guessed' is the past tense of 'to guess'.

'Hanger' is the hook or frame you hang clothes on; 'hangar' is the large building where aircraft are stored.

'Heal' means to recover from injury or illness; 'heel' is the back part of the foot or shoe.

'Him' is the objective case of 'he'; 'hymn' is a religious song of praise.

'Hoarse' describes a rough, croaky voice; 'horse' is the large four-legged animal.

'Idle' means not working, lazy, or without purpose; 'idol' is a person or thing that is greatly admired or worshipped.

'Knit' means to make fabric with needles or to join closely; 'nit' is a louse egg, or the act of pointing out minor faults.

'Lain' is the past participle of 'lie' (to recline); 'lane' is a narrow road or a division of a road.

'Later' means "at a later time"; 'latter' means "the second of two" things just mentioned.

'Lead' is the present tense of the verb to lead, or the metal; 'led' is the past tense of 'lead'.

'Leek' is the vegetable; 'leak' is a hole that lets liquid or gas escape, or the verb to drip or escape.

'Lessen' means to reduce or decrease; 'lesson' is a unit of teaching or an experience that teaches.

'Lightening' means making lighter in colour or weight (the -ing form of lighten); 'lightning' is the electrical discharge in a storm.

'Lone' means solitary or single; 'loan' is money lent or the act of lending.

'Maul' means to attack and injure with claws or heavy blows; 'mall' is a shopping centre or a pedestrian walkway.

'Maze' is a network of confusing paths or passages; 'maize' is corn, the cereal crop grown in cobs.

'Medal' is the award given in competitions; 'meddle' means to interfere in other people's business.

'Miner' is a person who works in a mine extracting minerals; 'minor' means small, less important, or a person under legal age.

'Moose' is the largest member of the deer family, found in North America; 'mousse' is a light airy dessert or hair styling foam.

'Moral' is the adjective meaning ethical or the lesson of a story; 'morale' is the collective confidence, enthusiasm, and spirit of a group.

'Morning' is the early part of the day; 'mourning' is grief or the period of sorrow after a loss.

'Need' means to require something; 'knead' means to press and fold dough or massage muscles.

'Ore' is a rock or mineral containing metal that can be extracted; 'oar' is the paddle used to row a boat.

'Pail' is a bucket; 'pale' means light in colour or lacking colour, or is a fence stake.

'Pain' is physical or emotional suffering; 'pane' is a sheet of glass in a window.

"Palate" = the roof of the mouth, or a refined sense of taste; "palette" = a painter's board for mixing colors, or a range of colors.

One is always a verb form, the other can be almost anything.

'Peak' is the top, highest point, or best moment; 'peek' means to look quickly and secretly.

'Peal' is the ringing of bells or a burst of loud sound; 'peel' means to remove skin from fruit, or the skin itself.

'Pedal' is the foot lever on a bicycle or piano, or the verb to cycle; 'peddle' means to sell goods informally or to spread ideas.

'Peer' is an equal or someone of the same rank, or to look closely with effort; 'pier' is a platform extending over water.

'Personal' is an adjective (private, yours); 'personnel' is a noun (the staff of a company).

'Pole' is a long thin rod or the geographical poles; 'poll' is a survey or the counting of votes.

"Pore over" = to study intensely; "pour" = to flow or transfer a liquid.

'Pray' means to speak to a god or beg earnestly; 'prey' is an animal hunted for food or a victim.

'Precede' means to come before something in time or order; 'proceed' means to continue forward or carry on with something.

'Premier' means "the best, foremost" (or "prime minister"); 'premiere' is the opening night of a movie or show.

One is a school head or the most important thing; the other is a rule or moral belief.

'Profit' is financial gain; 'prophet' is someone who predicts the future or delivers divine messages.

'Prophesy' is the verb (to predict or foretell); 'prophecy' is the noun (a prediction or prophetic statement).

'Rain' is water falling from the sky; 'reign' is the period during which a monarch rules.

'Real' means actual, genuine, or true; 'reel' is a cylinder for winding material, or to stagger/feel dizzy.

'Role' is the part you play in a situation; 'roll' is to move by turning, a cylindrical shape, or a register.

'Root' is the underground part of a plant or the origin of something; 'route' is a path or way from one place to another.

'Scene' is a setting, a sequence in a film, or an incident; 'seen' is the past participle of 'see'.

'Scent' is a smell or fragrance; 'sent' is the past tense of 'to send'.

'Seam' is the line where two pieces of fabric are sewn together; 'seem' means to give an impression or appear.

'Serial' means occurring in a series or repeated pattern; 'cereal' is grain or the breakfast food.

'Sighs' are the long audible breaths of tiredness or relief (plural), or he/she sighs; 'size' is the measurement or dimensions of something.

'Sight' is the sense of vision or something seen; 'site' is a specific location or place (including a website).

'Sleigh' is a horse- or reindeer-drawn vehicle for snow; 'slay' means to kill, or in modern slang, to impress or dominate completely.

'Soar' means to fly or rise very high; 'sore' means painful or tender, or is a wound on skin.

"Sometime" (one word) = at an unspecified point in time; "some time" (two words) = a period or amount of time.

'Soul' is the spiritual part of a person; 'sole' means only or exclusive, or the bottom of a shoe.

'Sow' means to plant seeds, or is a female pig; 'sew' means to stitch with needle and thread.

'Stair' is a single step in a staircase; 'stare' means to look fixedly at something for a long time.

'Stake' is a bet, a share or interest in something, or a pointed post; 'steak' is a thick slice of meat.

'Suite' is a set of connected rooms or related software products; 'sweet' means having a sugary taste or being charming.

'Tacks' are short sharp nails or drawing pins (plural); 'tax' is a compulsory payment to government or to make heavy demands.

'Though' means "although"; 'thorough' means "careful and complete". They share almost every letter but nothing else.

'Throne' is the ceremonial seat of a monarch; 'thrown' is the past participle of 'to throw'.

'Through' means from one side to the other, or finished; 'threw' is the past tense of 'throw'.

'Tied' is the past tense of 'tie', to fasten or draw equal; 'tide' is the rise and fall of the sea.

'Toe' is the digit on the foot; 'tow' means to pull a vehicle with another, or is the rope/cable used.

'Vain' means conceited or unsuccessful (in vain); 'vane' is a weather vane that shows wind direction.

'Vile' means extremely unpleasant, disgusting, or morally wicked; 'vial' is a small glass container for liquids.

'Wail' is a prolonged loud cry of grief or pain; 'whale' is the large marine mammal.

'Waist' is the narrow part of the body between the chest and hips; 'waste' means to use carelessly or material discarded.

'Waive' means to voluntarily give up a right; 'wave' means to greet with your hand, or an ocean wave.

'Who\'s' contracts 'who is' or 'who has'; 'whose' asks or states who something belongs to.

'Yoke' is the frame joining oxen to a plough, or a metaphorical burden; 'yolk' is the yellow centre of an egg.

'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.

'Allude' means to refer to something indirectly; 'elude' means to escape or avoid something cleverly.

'Allusion' is an indirect reference to something; 'illusion' is a false impression or perception of reality.

"Baited" = having bait, set with a lure or trap; "bated" = restrained or reduced (only appears in the fixed phrase "bated breath").

'Biannual' occurs twice a year; 'biennial' occurs once every two years.

'Born' relates to coming into existence at birth; 'borne' is the past participle of 'bear' meaning to carry or endure.

'Brooch' is a decorative pin worn on clothing; 'broach' is the verb meaning to raise or introduce a sensitive subject.

'Canvas' is the fabric artists paint on; 'canvass' means to campaign door-to-door or gather opinions.

'Capital' is the seat-of-government city or invested money; 'Capitol' refers specifically to a government building.

'Cede' means to give up or transfer territory or control; 'seed' is a plant seed or the verb to plant or rank competitors.

'Chord' is a musical combination of notes; 'cord' is a rope, cable, or thick string.

'Climactic' relates to a climax or peak moment; 'climatic' relates to climate and weather conditions.

'Council' is a governing body or committee; 'counsel' is legal advice or the act of advising.

'Defuse' means to make safe by removing a fuse, or to reduce tension; 'diffuse' means to spread widely, or the adjective for spread out.

'Elicit' means to draw out or provoke a response; 'illicit' means illegal or forbidden.

'Eminent' describes a person of outstanding reputation in a field; 'imminent' describes something that is about to happen very soon.

'Ensure' means to make certain that something happens; 'insure' means to take out an insurance policy.

'Farther' refers to measurable physical distance; 'further' refers to degree, extent, or progress in a figurative sense.

'Flout' means to openly disregard or disobey a rule; 'flaunt' means to display something ostentatiously to impress others.

'Gait' is the manner of walking; 'gate' is the hinged barrier at an entrance.

'Gorilla' is the large African ape; 'guerrilla' is an irregular fighter or the tactic of unconventional warfare.

'Hew' means to cut or chop with a heavy tool; 'hue' is the shade or tone of a colour.

'Hoard' is a secret store of valuable things; 'horde' is a large, often unruly crowd or group.

"Into" = movement toward the inside or transformation; "in to" = when "in" is part of a phrasal verb and "to" belongs to the following verb.

'Kernel' is the inner part of a seed or the central part of something; 'colonel' is a senior military officer rank.

'Knave' is a dishonest person or rogue (archaic), or the jack in a pack of cards; 'nave' is the central hall of a church.

'Lay' is transitive (to place something); 'lie' is intransitive (to recline, no direct object needed).

'Lie' means to tell an untruth, or to be in a horizontal position; 'lye' is a strongly alkaline solution used in soapmaking and cleaning.

'Lien' is a legal claim on property as security for a debt; 'lean' means to incline, or the adjective for having little fat.

'Loath' is the adjective meaning reluctant or unwilling; 'loathe' is the verb meaning to detest intensely.

'Manner' is the way something is done or social behaviour; 'manor' is a large country house or estate.

'Marital' relates to marriage; 'martial' relates to war or the military.

'Marshal' is a high-ranking officer or the verb to organise/gather; 'martial' is the adjective meaning military or warlike.

'Muscle' is the body tissue that contracts to produce movement; 'mussel' is the dark-shelled edible shellfish.

'Nauseous' traditionally describes something that causes nausea; 'nauseated' describes someone who feels sick to their stomach.

'Naval' relates to a navy or warships; 'navel' is the small depression at the centre of the abdomen.

'Ode' is a lyrical poem of praise or celebration; 'owed' is the past tense of owe, to be in debt or obligated.

"Onto" = on top of, moving to a surface or position; "on to" = when "on" is part of a phrasal verb and "to" belongs to the next element.

'Ordinance' is a local law or municipal regulation; 'ordnance' refers to military weapons, ammunition, and artillery.

'Peak' is the highest point or to reach a maximum; 'pique' means to arouse curiosity or feel irritated.

'Perspective' is your point of view; 'prospective' means potential, something that might happen in the future.

'Plum' is the fruit; 'plumb' means to measure depth or vertical alignment, or perfectly vertical.

'Precedent' is an earlier case used as a reference; 'president' is the political title, the head of state or company.

'Prescribe' means to order or recommend (a doctor prescribes medicine); 'proscribe' means to officially forbid or ban something.

'Rack' is a frame or shelf, or the verb to cause pain; 'wrack' means destruction or wreckage, or seaweed washed ashore.

'Rung' is a step on a ladder or past participle of 'ring'; 'wrung' is the past participle of 'wring' (to twist).

'Rye' is the cereal grain used in bread and whisky; 'wry' describes dry, ironic humour or a face twisted in displeasure.

'Shear' is to cut or clip (especially wool); 'sheer' means pure or utter, or describes fabric that is very thin and transparent.

'Stationary' means not moving; 'stationery' refers to writing materials like paper and envelopes.

'Stile' is a set of steps for climbing over a fence in the countryside; 'style' is a manner of doing something or a fashion.

'Team' is a group of people working together; 'teem' means to swarm with or be full to overflowing.

'Vale' is a valley in poetic or literary English; 'veil' is a piece of fabric covering the face or something hidden.

'Veracious' means truthful or habitually accurate; 'voracious' means consuming food or information with extreme eagerness.

'Wade' means to walk through shallow water; 'weighed' is the past tense of 'to weigh'.

'Wreak' means to cause or inflict something destructive; 'reek' means to smell strongly and unpleasantly.