A Copy Editor's Fun with Homonyms!

Throughout my years of being a copy editor and proofreader, I have cringed allot (or is it a lot) of times at the misuse of homonyms: words that sound the same but have different meanings…but you probably all ready gnu that. I never really found a usable rule when it comes to the usage of these words. My natural inclination is to have fun with them. With this in mind, I came up with a few examples of "Fun With Homonyms."

I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed writing them.
________________________________________
Choose the correct pair of homonyms from the list below to fill in the blanks in the sentences that follow.

ail/ale
allot/a lot
allowed/aloud
all ready /already
alter/altar
altogether/all together
ante/auntie
aunt/ant
bare/bear
bass/bass
bawled/bald
bee/be
better/bettor
birth/berth
border/boarder
boy/buoy
Chile/chili/chilly
dear/deer
err/air/heir
hair/hare
leased/least
pale/pail
read/red
scent/cent

1. If a bride wanted to change her loving words to her husband at the last minute:
She would have to ________ her vows at the ________.

2. A will leaving less to me than my sibling would:
________ ________ more to my brother.

3. If we can’t all get to the same place at the same time, then:
It’s not ________ possible to get ________.

4. If everyone was prepared earlier than expected, then:
We would be surprised to see everyone was ________ ________.

5. Becoming sick from a tavern drink would probably mean:
You would ________ from bad ________.

6. Being permitted to present your paper orally would mean:
You are ________ to read your essay ________.

7. Shaving a wild animal could easily leave you facing:
A ________ ________.

8. Leaving a buzzing insect alone would mean you:
Let the ________ ________.

9. A sweet forest animal might be:
A ________ ________.

10. You might call a fish with a very low voice:
A ________ ________.

11. If you received the newest advice from Carl Jung:
You ________ the ________ Book.

12. If you accidentally cut off the oxygen to your son:
You would: ________ with the ________ to your ________.

13. If you were an insect, I suppose that:
Your ________ could be an ________.

14. Playing poker with a relative is the only way I can think of that:
You could ________ with your ________.

15. Crying over hair loss means:
You ________ over going ________.

16. Renting an apartment in El Paso would make you:
A ________ ________.

17. Your son clinging to a floating marker would be:
A ________ on a ________.

18. I heard a rumor that:
People in ________ eat their ________ ________.

19. Is it possible to:
Give ________ in a ________?

20. If you win more at the track than your friend does:
You are a ______ ______?

21. What grows on the rabbit is:
The ______ of the ______.

22. If you rent the smallest room:
You ______ the ______.

23. Another name for a white bucket:
A ______ ______.

24. The smell of a penny would be:
The ______ of the ______.

There are plenty more ware those came from. Believe me, I have driven my family and watts left of my friends crazy with them over the past few days. Maybe you can send us some of your own. That way, I can print them and not have to except all of the blame myself. I will give one free hour of copy editing to the best homonym sentence sent in!

A common error I find when proofreading or copy editing materials is the author's use of the accidental homonym. It is fun to play with them; however, the wrong word at the wrong time can change the direction of an entire article or manuscript, or even worse, your resume. Remember, a copy editor is paid to make you and your hard work look the very best possible.

So the next time the correct word escapes you, think of me. =)

I can't wait to hear your answers!!

Until next week, write anything your heart desires…but then run it by me!
Laura