Homophones Crossword Printable

Print a criss-cross crossword of sound-alike pairs such as Bear and Bare, with its answer key.

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Homophones Crossword

Read each clue and write the answer in the squares that start at its number, one letter in each square.

This grid is wider than a phone screen, so it scrolls sideways. It prints whole.

Tap a square, and its clue shows here.

Across

Down

Word bank

  • Cord
  • Fir
  • Flee
  • Heir
  • Isle
  • Pole
  • Rein
  • Tide

Type in a square and the next one takes over. Tap the same square again, or press Space, to switch between Across and Down. Arrow keys move around the grid, Enter goes to the next clue, and a clue takes you to its squares.

Print gives 2 pages on Letter or A4: the puzzle with its clues, then the answer key. The squares print 10 mm wide. For a PDF, choose Save as PDF in the print window.

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Answer key: Homophones Crossword

1FI2R3CLE4POLEIREN5T6IDESL7HEIR

Across 1 FIR · 4 POLE · 5 TIDE · 7 HEIR

Down 1 FLEE · 2 REIN · 3 CORD · 6 ISLE

Next step Find homophones in a word searchPrint homophones worksheets

All 153 clues

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Animal Sound-Alikes 31

  • Bare Uncovered, like feet without socks; same sound as a big furry den sleeper
  • Bear Big furry animal that sleeps through winter in a den; same sound as a word for uncovered
  • Boar Wild pig with tusks; same sound as make someone yawn
  • Bore Make someone yawn; same sound as a wild pig with tusks
  • Deer Shy woodland animal with antlers; same sound as the first word of a letter
  • Doe Mother of a fawn; same sound as a soft floury mix before baking
  • Dough Soft floury mix before baking; same sound as the mother of a fawn
  • Ewe Mother sheep; same sound as an evergreen tree with red berries
  • Flea Tiny jumping pest on a pet; same sound as run from danger
  • Flee Run from danger; same sound as a tiny jumping pest
  • Foul Broken rule in basketball; same sound as chickens, ducks and turkeys
  • Fowl Chickens, ducks and turkeys; same sound as a broken rule in basketball
  • Gnu African antelope also called a wildebeest; same sound as the opposite of old
  • Hare Long-eared, long-legged cousin of the rabbit; same sound as what a comb untangles
  • Heard Listened to; same sound as a group of cattle
  • Herd Group of cattle; same sound as listened to
  • Hoarse Croaky after too much cheering; same sound as an animal that wears a saddle
  • Horse Animal that wears a saddle; same sound as a word for a croaky voice
  • Links Rings of a chain; same sound as a wild cat with tufted ears
  • Lynx Wild cat with tufted ears; same sound as the rings of a chain
  • Moose Largest animal with antlers; same sound as a fluffy chocolate dessert
  • Mousse Fluffy chocolate dessert; same sound as the largest animal with antlers
  • Muscle What makes an arm strong; same sound as a shellfish with a dark shell
  • Mussel Shellfish with a dark, hinged shell; same sound as what makes an arm strong
  • Pause Stop for a moment; same sound as a kitten's four feet
  • Paws A kitten's four feet; same sound as stop for a moment
  • Toad Warty hopper; same sound as pulled behind a truck
  • Towed Pulled behind a truck; same sound as a warty hopper
  • Wail Long, sad cry; same sound as a huge ocean mammal
  • Whale Huge ocean mammal with a blowhole; same sound as a long, sad cry
  • Yew Evergreen tree with red berries; same sound as a mother sheep

Food Sound-Alikes 33

  • Berry Small juicy fruit; same sound as put under the ground
  • Bread Sliced loaf for sandwiches; same sound as raised, as farm animals are
  • Bred Raised, as farm animals are; same sound as a sliced loaf for sandwiches
  • Bury Put under the ground; same sound as a small juicy fruit
  • Carrot Crunchy orange vegetable; same sound as a unit for the purity of gold
  • Cereal Breakfast flakes in a bowl; same sound as a story told in parts
  • Chili Spicy stew of beans and beef; same sound as a little cold
  • Chilly A little cold; same sound as a spicy stew of beans and beef
  • Currant Small dried fruit baked into a scone; same sound as the flow of a river
  • Current Flow of a river; same sound as a small dried fruit
  • Flour White powder that a baker sifts; same sound as a daisy or a tulip
  • Flower Daisy or tulip; same sound as the white powder a baker sifts
  • Jam Fruit spread for toast; same sound as the side post of a doorway
  • Jamb Side post of a doorway; same sound as a fruit spread for toast
  • Karat Unit for the purity of gold; same sound as a crunchy orange vegetable
  • Leak Drip from a cracked pipe; same sound as a long white vegetable
  • Leek Long white vegetable related to the onion; same sound as a drip from a cracked pipe
  • Maize Another name for corn; same sound as a puzzle of twisting paths
  • Maze Puzzle of twisting paths; same sound as another name for corn
  • Mince Chop into tiny bits; same sound as peppermint candies
  • Mints Peppermint candies; same sound as chop into tiny bits
  • Pare Trim the skin from an apple; same sound as a set of two
  • Peal Loud ringing of bells; same sound as the skin of a banana
  • Pear Bell-shaped fruit with a gritty, sweet flesh; same sound as a set of two
  • Peel Skin of a banana; same sound as a loud ringing of bells
  • Plum Purple fruit with a pit; same sound as a builder's word for straight up and down
  • Plumb A builder's word for straight up and down; same sound as a purple fruit
  • Serial Story told in parts; same sound as breakfast flakes in a bowl
  • Stake Pointed post driven into the ground; same sound as a thick slice of grilled beef
  • Steak Thick slice of grilled beef; same sound as a pointed post driven into the ground
  • Thyme Herb sold in small sprigs for soups; same sound as hours and minutes
  • Weigh Measure on a scale; same sound as the watery part of milk
  • Whey Thin liquid left behind when milk turns to cheese; same sound as measure on a scale

Nature Sound-Alikes 32

  • Aisle Walkway between seats; same sound as a small island
  • Beach Sandy shore; same sound as a tree with smooth gray bark
  • Beech Tree with smooth gray bark; same sound as a sandy shore
  • Bolder More daring; same sound as a huge rock
  • Boulder Huge rock; same sound as more daring
  • Creak Noise of an old door hinge; same sound as a small stream
  • Creek Small stream; same sound as the noise of an old door hinge
  • Fir Evergreen with flat needles; same sound as an animal's soft coat
  • Fur An animal's soft coat; same sound as an evergreen with flat needles
  • Hail Balls of ice from a storm cloud; same sound as healthy and strong
  • Hale Healthy and strong; same sound as balls of ice from a storm cloud
  • Isle Small island; same sound as a walkway between seats
  • Missed Failed to hit; same sound as thin fog
  • Mist Thin fog; same sound as failed to hit
  • Peak Top of a mountain; same sound as a quick, secret look
  • Peek Quick, secret look; same sound as the top of a mountain
  • Plain Wide, flat grassland; same sound as a jet in the sky
  • Plane Jet in the sky; same sound as a wide, flat grassland
  • Pole North or South end of the globe; same sound as a survey of voters
  • Poll Survey of voters; same sound as the North or South end of the globe
  • Reign Rule as a king or queen; same sound as water falling from clouds
  • Rein Strap for steering a pony; same sound as water falling from clouds
  • Sail Cloth that catches wind on a boat; same sound as a week of low prices at a store
  • Sale Week of low prices at a store; same sound as cloth that catches wind on a boat
  • Soar Glide high like an eagle; same sound as aching
  • Sore Aching; same sound as glide high like an eagle
  • Tide Daily rise and fall of the ocean; same sound as fastened with string
  • Tied Fastened with string; same sound as the daily rise and fall of the ocean
  • Vale A poet's word for a valley; same sound as a bride's lace head covering
  • Veil A bride's lace head covering; same sound as a poet's word for a valley
  • Weather Sunshine, wind or snow; same sound as a word that means "if"
  • Whether Word that means "if" before a choice; same sound as sunshine, wind or snow

School Sound-Alikes 28

  • Allowed Permitted; same sound as spoken so others can hear
  • Aloud Spoken so others can hear; same sound as permitted
  • Board Flat piece of lumber, or where chalk writes; same sound as having nothing to do
  • Bored Having nothing to do; same sound as a flat piece of lumber
  • Chord Three or more notes played together; same sound as a thin rope
  • Coarse Rough to the touch; same sound as a set of classes on one subject
  • Complement Something that completes a set; same sound as a kind remark
  • Compliment Kind remark; same sound as something that completes a set
  • Cord Thin rope; same sound as three or more notes played together
  • Council Group elected to run a town; same sound as give advice
  • Counsel Give advice; same sound as a group elected to run a town
  • Course Set of classes on one subject; same sound as rough to the touch
  • Cue Signal to begin; same sound as a line of people waiting
  • Cymbal Brass plate that crashes; same sound as a sign that stands for something
  • Guessed Answered without knowing; same sound as a visitor
  • Guest Visitor; same sound as answered without knowing
  • Lessen Make smaller; same sound as what a teacher teaches in one class
  • Lesson What a teacher teaches in one class; same sound as make smaller
  • Pedal Foot lever on a bike; same sound as sell door to door
  • Peddle Sell door to door; same sound as a foot lever on a bike
  • Principal Head of a school; same sound as a basic rule or belief
  • Principle Basic rule or belief; same sound as the head of a school
  • Queue Line of people waiting; same sound as a signal to begin
  • Stationary Not moving; same sound as writing paper and envelopes
  • Stationery Writing paper and envelopes; same sound as not moving
  • Steal Take what is not yours; same sound as the strong metal of bridges
  • Steel Strong metal of bridges; same sound as take what is not yours
  • Symbol Sign that stands for something; same sound as a brass plate that crashes

People and Body Sound-Alikes 29

  • Bald Having a smooth, hairless head; same sound as cried loudly
  • Bawled Cried loudly; same sound as having a smooth, hairless head
  • Brows Arches of hair above the eyes; same sound as look around a shop
  • Browse Look around a shop; same sound as arches of hair above the eyes
  • Cellar Underground storage room; same sound as a person with goods to trade
  • Colonel Army officer above a major; same sound as one grain of corn
  • Feat Amazing deed; same sound as what shoes go on
  • Groan Low sound of complaint; same sound as finished getting taller
  • Grown Finished getting taller; same sound as a low sound of complaint
  • Heal Get well; same sound as the back of the foot
  • Heel Back of the foot; same sound as get well
  • Heir Person who will inherit a fortune; same sound as what we breathe
  • Idle Doing nothing; same sound as a greatly admired star
  • Idol Greatly admired star; same sound as doing nothing
  • Kernel One grain of corn; same sound as an army officer above a major
  • Knight Armored rider who served a king; same sound as the dark hours
  • Medal Prize worn on a ribbon; same sound as interfere
  • Meddle Interfere; same sound as a prize worn on a ribbon
  • Miner Worker who digs coal; same sound as a person not yet an adult
  • Minor Person not yet an adult; same sound as a worker who digs coal
  • Naval Having to do with warships; same sound as a belly button
  • Navel Belly button; same sound as having to do with warships
  • Pores Tiny openings in skin; same sound as tips liquid from a jug
  • Pours Tips liquid from a jug; same sound as tiny openings in skin
  • Seller Person with goods to trade; same sound as an underground storage room
  • Vain Too proud of one's looks; same sound as a tube that carries blood
  • Vane Rooftop pointer that turns with the wind; same sound as too proud of one's looks
  • Vein Tube that carries blood back to the heart; same sound as too proud of one's looks
  • Waist Middle of the body, where a belt goes; same sound as throw away carelessly

How this list was compiled: Clues written for this site for elementary classes. Every answer is one of a pair, or three, of English words that sound alike and are spelled differently; each clue gives the answer's own meaning and then the meaning of its sound-alike. Each pair was checked against the homophone lists in Wiktionary (en.wiktionary.org, CC BY-SA 4.0) in October 2026, for General American pronunciation. A few pairs differ in some accents. Licence: own work

How it works

This homophones crossword is a printable vocabulary crossword built from pairs that sound alike and are spelled differently. Each clue gives the answer's own meaning first, then the meaning of its sound-alike, so only one spelling fits.

Read the full guide

Five sets and a short one

Short Sound-Alikes keeps answers to 4 letters or fewer: Bear, Bare, Peak, Peek. Animal Sound-Alikes has Mussel and Muscle, Lynx and Links. Food Sound-Alikes has Cereal and Serial, Currant and Current. Nature Sound-Alikes has Weather and Whether, Boulder and Bolder. School Sound-Alikes has Principal and Principle, Stationary and Stationery. People and Body Sound-Alikes has Colonel and Kernel, and Vein, Vain and Vane.

How a clue reads

"Sandy shore; same sound as a tree with smooth gray bark" is Beach. Beech is clued the other way around, and the two can land in one puzzle.

Questions and answers

Is this printable homophones crossword puzzle for one grade?

It suits about grades 2 to 5. Short Sound-Alikes, with its word bank, is the easiest set; School Sound-Alikes holds the hardest spellings, such as Complement and Compliment. These bands are our judgment, not a published standard.

Is this also a homonyms crossword puzzle, printable the same way?

In the wide sense of the word, yes: homophones are one kind of homonym. Every answer here sounds like another word with a different spelling. Words spelled alike with two meanings, such as bat, are not in the bank.

Do all the pairs sound alike everywhere?

They do in most American English. In some accents a few pairs differ, such as Whale and Wail or Horse and Hoarse. Press New puzzle to draw other pairs.

Does the homophones crossword print with an answer key?

Yes. The answer key prints as the last sheet, after the grid, the clues and the word bank.

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