Homophones and Homographs — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Sacramento is the capital of California and home to the state government.
Capital with an a refers to the main city of a state, which describes Sacramento.
2. The class took a field trip to tour the capitol building in Washington.
Capitol with an o refers specifically to the building, not the city, so it fits the tour.
3. The pirate map showed treasure buried on a tiny isle in the ocean.
Isle is another word for a small island, which matches the ocean treasure setting.
4. The bride walked slowly down the aisle to meet her future husband.
Aisle describes the walkway in a church or hall, which fits the wedding scene.
5. I'll have everyone except Jamie, who is allergic to peanuts in cookies.
Except excludes Jamie from the group eating peanut cookies because of the allergy.
6. Did the coach accept your apology for missing yesterday afternoon's team practice?
Accept means to agree to receive, which fits the action the coach takes with an apology.
7. I'm not sure whether the bus will arrive before the rain starts falling.
Whether shows doubt or two possibilities, fitting the uncertainty about the bus and rain.
8. Sunny weather makes the perfect day for our outdoor picnic at the park.
Weather refers to atmospheric conditions, which is what determines a sunny picnic day.
9. The teacher rewarded the class with a slice of pie for working hard.
Pie names the dessert, distinct from sound-alike words; it makes sense as a reward food.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
The main city of a state
→ capital
capital
A small island
→ isle
isle
If or not, showing choice
→ whether
whether
Other than or excluding
→ except
except
These homophones look similar to their twins, so careful definitions reveal the right spelling each time.