Spelling Common Homonyms

English Language Arts, Grade 5

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Homonyms are words that sound the same. However, they are spelled differently and mean different things. Odd Animal Plurals You add an s to make the plural of most nouns. However, some animal nouns are strange. Their plural and singular forms are the same. You just have to memorize these few oddball plurals: one bison...two bison one deer...three deer desert (v): to leave; to abandon If a soldier tried to desert from Hitler’s army, he was shot. desert (n): a dry land with sparse vegetation and almost no rainfall Rodney was afraid of getting lost in the desert. dessert (n): a sweet food eaten after a meal’s main course The waiter asked, “Would you like dessert this evening?” rain (n): water falling from clouds We had three inches of rain yesterday. reign (n): period of time during which a monarch is the ruler of a nation King George IV’s reign lasted 10 years. rein (v): to control; also (n): the strap used to guide a horse Nan pulled on the reins to make the horse slow down. whose (adj): used often in questions to ask about ownership; also used to show which person one is talking about Whose cat is that? Gerald whispered to the woman whose car is yellow. who’s (contraction of who is): use only when you can substitute who is Who’s driving that van? one sheep...four sheep one shrimp...five shrimp any kind of fish: 3 trout, 6 salmon one moose...two moose Spelling Homonyms & Odd Plurals Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4065 RES 251
9. Have you ever looked at this web (cite, sight, site)? Underline the homonym that accurately completes the sentence. 1. (Whose, Who’s) going to run the garage sale this weekend? 3. Did you read about the (rain, reign, rein) of Queen Elizabeth I ? 2. The surgery should restore the blind man’s (cite, sight, site). 4. Earth’s driest (desert, dessert) is actually Antarctica. 5. You need to (rain, reign, rein) in the amount of time you spend in front of a screen. 6. I wish this (rain, reign, rein) would end; I want to go swimming. 10. The queen’s (rain, reign, rein) did not last long. 11. This book belongs to the man (whose, who’s) coat is hanging there. 12. Promise you won’t (desert, dessert) me in the wilderness! 7. Her favorite (desert, dessert) is cherry pie with ice cream. 8. (Whose, Who’s) hammer is this? Spelling Homonyms & Odd Plurals Visit www.newpathlearning.com for Online Learning Resources. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. 92-4065