How to Create a Homophone Dictionary

A homophone dictionary can be a useful tool for your students. Your student can refer back to the homophone dictionary repeatedly, providing a fingertip resource for every time the child comes across a confusing word.

You can go about creating a homophone dictionary in a few different ways:

Your student’s homophone dictionary can be as simple as a few sheets of loose-leaf paper in a binder onto which your student writes homophones and definitions as he or she comes across them in regular spelling lessons or reading.

You can also make a homophone dictionary using graphic organizers. This involves more work than just a standard homophone dictionary with words and definitions, but it can also be much more fun to create. It will also be much more effective in the long term to help your student to remember homophones.

A graphic organizer is, in essence, a visual representation of the relationship between homophones. You can create a visual organizer by splitting a page in half. On one side of the page, have the student put the word “hair” and ask the student to draw a picture, perhaps of someone’s head covered in hair. On the other side of the page, ask the student to write the word “hare” and draw a picture of a bunny rabbit.

On each side of the page, you can also have the student write a definition appropriate to the particular homophone. You can even have the student leave a shared space in the middle for a silly sentence. For example, the student might write, “I comb the hare on my head,” in that middle section and draw a person with a bunny on their head.

Whatever method you use, a homophone dictionary can be a wonderful tool for your child while learning proper word usage.

The All About Homophones book includes resources you can use for a student-created homophone dictionary, plus many other interesting activities. Click here to purchase the All About Homophones book.