What is this skill?
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. Their, there and they're are the most famous trio. Their shows that something belongs to them ("The kids put on their coats"), there points to a place ("I left my book over there"), and they're is a short way to say they are ("They're going to the zoo tomorrow"). To, too and two, hear and here, our and hour, blew and blue, and wrote and road are pairs and trios that third graders meet in their own writing.
In this practice the child fills a blank with the right word from three choices, such as "Maya has ___ cats" (two, too or to), "Did you ___ that noise?" (here, hear or hair) or "The ship sailed across the ___" (see, sea or sew). The easy questions use words a child sees daily, such as there, their, to, two, sea, blue and here. The harder ones add blew, hour, our, knows, wrote, way, weigh and road. Two yes-or-no questions give a sentence and ask whether the tricky word is right or wrong, such as "Their going to the park" (wrong word) and "I have two sisters" (right word).
Why it matters
A spell checker will not catch most homophone mistakes, because "Their going to the park" is made of real words. A child has to understand the meaning to choose the right spelling, and no tool does that for them, so the habit of checking is worth building early.
Homophones are also a nice place to see that English spelling carries meaning. Hour is a length of time and our shows ownership, and the two sound alike. Looking at which spelling goes with which meaning is the heart of being a careful writer.
The same mix-ups appear in older children's and adults' writing, which is why teachers keep returning to them. Learning them in 3rd grade means fewer corrections later.
Common mistakes
- Using their for a place, or there for belonging. Tie each to a clue: there has the word "here" hiding inside it, so it is a place; their belongs to people.
- Writing "they're" where the sentence needs their. Try reading it as "they are." If "they are going" makes sense, the apostrophe word is right. If not, it is wrong.
- Writing to for "also" or for a number. Too has an extra o, so it means "too much" or "also." Two is the number and has the w that shows up in twin and twice.
- Picking a word by how it sounds when two words sound alike, such as blew and blue or wrote and road. Check the sentence, and ask which meaning fits.
How to help at home
- Make a pair card. On one side write a homophone, on the other a short picture clue, such as an eye next to sea or a clock next to hour.
- Write a silly sentence that uses every spelling in a trio, such as "They're putting their hats over there." The challenge helps a child feel each meaning.
- When your child writes a message, ask them to circle any word that has a twin and double-check it. This is a real editing habit.
- Read the sentences aloud with the wrong word and talk about why it sounds odd, even though it sounds right.
Worked examples
These are real questions from the Tutorsaurus homophones practice, with the answers worked out.
Example 1
Which word fills the blank? I left my book over (blank).
I left my book over ___.
Choices: their, they're, there
Answer: there. There tells a place. It has the word "here" inside it.
Example 2
Is the tricky word used correctly?
Their going to the park.
Answer: Wrong word. It should be "They're going," which is short for "they are going."
Example 3
Which word fills the blank? (blank) going to the zoo tomorrow.
___ going to the zoo tomorrow.
Choices: Their, They're, There
Answer: They're. They're is short for they are. They are going to the zoo.
Printable worksheet (PDF) — one page of questions from this practice that work on paper, easier ones first, with an answer key on page 2. Free to print, no sign-up.