Homonyms are words that sound alike and for this reason they are often confused with each other. The spell check will not correct these errors because the words are misused not misspelled. I also use the wrong word every now and then so be careful.  Here is a list of the most misused words.

accept………………………….to receive
except…………………………with the exclusion of

advice…………………………recommendation
advise…………………………to recommend

affect………………………….to produce an influence on (verb); an emotional response (noun)
effect…………………………..result (noun); to bring about or cause (verb)

aisle……………………………space between rows
isle……………………………..island

allude………………………….to make indirect reference to
elude…………………………..to avoid

allusion……………………….indirect reference
illusion………………………..false idea, misleading appearance

already……………………….by this time
all ready……………………..fully prepared

altar……………………………sacred platform or place
alter……………………………to change

altogether……………………thoroughly
all together………………….everyone or everything in one place

are………………………………plural form of to be
hour…………………………….sixty minutes
our………………………………plural form of many

ascent………………………….the act of rising or climbing
assent………………………….consent

assistance…………………….help
assistants…………………….helpers

bare……………………………..nude, unadorned
bear……………………………..to carry; an animal

board……………………………piece of wood
bored……………………………uninterested

breath…………………………..air taken in
breathe…………………………to take air in

brake…………………………….device for stopping
break…………………………….destroy, make into pieces

buy………………………………..to purchase
by………………………………….next to, through the agency of

capital……………………………major city
capitol……………………………government building

choose……………………………to pick
chose…………………………….past tense of choose

cite………………………………..to point out
sight………………………………vision
site…………………………………a place

clothes…………………………..garments
cloths…………………………….pieces of fabric

coarse……………………………rough
course……………………………path; series of lectures

complement…………………..something that completes
compliment……………………praise, flattery

conscience……………………..sense of morality
conscious……………………….awake, aware

council…………………………..governing body
counsel………………………….advice

dairy……………………………..place associated with milk production
diary……………………………..personal journal

descent…………………………downward movement
dissent………………………….disagreement

dessert…………………………final, sweet course in a meal
desert…………………………..to abandon; dry sandy area

device…………………………..a plan; an implement
devise…………………………..to create

die………………………………..to lose life (dying); one of a pair of dice
dye……………………………….to change the color of something (dyeing)

dominant………………………commanding, controlling
dominate………………………to control

elicit………………………………to draw out
illicit………………………………illegal

eminent………………………..prominent
immanent…………………….living within; inherent
imminent…………………….about to happen

envelop………………………..to surround
envelope………………………container for a letter or other papers

fair……………………………….light-skinned; just, honest
fare………………………………money for transportation; food

formally……………………….conventionally, with ceremony
formerly………………………previously

forth…………………………….forward
fourth………………………….number four

gorilla………………………….animal in ape family
guerrilla………………………soldier specializing in unconventional, surprise attacks

hear…………………………….to sense sound by ear
here…………………………….in this place

hole……………………………..opening
whole…………………………..complete; an entire thing

human…………………………relating to the species homo sapiens
humane……………………….compassionate

insure…………………………..buy or give insurance
ensure………………………….guarantee, protect

its…………………………………possessive form of it
it’s………………………………..contraction for it is

know…………………………….to comprehend
no…………………………………negative

later……………………………..after a time
latter……………………………second one of two things

lead………………………………heavy metal substance; to guide
led………………………………..past tense of to lead

lightning……………………….storm-related electricity
lightening……………………..making lighter

loose…………………………….unbound, not tightly fasened
lose………………………………to misplace

maybe………………………….perhaps
may be………………………..might be

meat…………………………..animal flesh
meet…………………………..to encounter

miner……………………….a person who works in a mine
minor……………………….under age

moral……………………….distinguishing right from wrong; the lesson of a fable or story
morale……………………..attitude or outlook, usually of a group

of …………………………….preposition indicating origin
off…………………………….away from

passed ……………………..past tense of to pass
past…………………………..at a previous time

patience…………………….forbearance
patients……………………..people under medical care

peace…………………………absence of fighting
piece………………………….part of a whole; musical arrangement

personal……………………..intimate
personnel……………………employees

plain……………………………simple, unadorned
plane…………………………..to shave wood; aircraft

precede……………………….to come before
proceed……………………….to continue

presence……………………..being at hand; attendance at a place
presents………………………gifts

principal……………………….foremost (adjective); school head (noun)
principle……………………….moral conviction, basic truth

quiet……………………………..silent, calm
quite……………………………..very

rain……………………………….water drops falling to earth; to fall like rain
reign………………………………to rule
rein………………………………..strap to guide or conrol an animal; to guide or control

raise……………………………….to lift up
raze………………………………..to tear down

respectfully…………………….with respect
respectively…………………….in that order

right………………………………..correct; opposite of left
rite…………………………………..ritual
write………………………………..to put words on paper

road…………………………………path
rode…………………………………past tense of to ride

scene………………………………..place of an action; segment of a play
seen………………………………….viewed

sense…………………………………perception, understanding
since………………………………….measurement of past time; because

stationary…………………………..standing still
stationery…………………………..writing paper

than……………………………………in comparison with; besides
then……………………………………at that time; next; therefore

their……………………………………possessive form of they
there…………………………………..in that place
they’re………………………………..contraction for they are

through……………………………….finished; into and out of
threw………………………………….past tense of throw
thorough……………………………..complete

to…………………………………………toward
too……………………………………….also; indicates degree (too much)
two………………………………………number following one

waist…………………………………….midsection of the body
waste……………………………………discarded material; to squander, fail to use up

weak…………………………………….not strong
week…………………………………….seven days

weather………………………………..climatic condition
whether………………………………..if

where……………………………………in which place
were……………………………………..past tense of be

which…………………………………….one of a group
witch……………………………………..female sorcerer

whose…………………………………….possessive form of who
who’s……………………………………..contraction for who is

your……………………………………….possessive form of you
you’re…………………………………….contraction for you are
yore………………………………………..long past