Homophones are words that sound the same, but, unlike homographs, are not spelled the same. Today, let's look at near homophones, which sound similar but not identical, and have different spellings and meanings. 

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A good example is "weary" and "wary." The adjective "weary" is similar to "tired," while "wary" means "skeptical" or "cautious." The pronunciation of these words is very similar, but "weary" was a long "E" like the word "we," whereas the first syllable of "wary" sounds like the word "where." 

Our weary eyes still stray to the horizon.

Caption 24, Pink Floyd: High Hopes

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But do be careful. Make sure you use the cycle lanes and be wary of other road users and pedestrians.

Captions 11-12, Visit England Green London: Visitor Guide

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There are also "affect" and "effect," which are each both a noun and a verb. The noun "the effect" is similar to "the outcome," whereas the verb "to effect" means to make something happen and is used rather rarely. Conversely, the verb "to affect" is more common than the noun "the affect." 

And, at the end of day, it's regular people who really effect change.

Caption 17, 1GOAL: Education for All

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Introducing pay by performance has had precisely the opposite effect.

Caption 14, Business English How to open and close presentations - Part 2

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Accordingly, natural forces affect the material in unpredictable and unique ways.

Caption 34, The Last Paradises: America's National Parks

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Even though they are different parts of speech, many people also confuse the spelling of the adjective "loose" and the verb "lose." 

They're seventy percent silk and give the illusion of skinny jeans, but they're loose, breathable, and warm.

Captions 34-35, How 2 Travelers Rethink What You Wear on the Plane!

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Sometimes you lose an argument, sometimes you lose an election.

Caption 38, Barack Obama On Trump: Presidential Victory

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And a final pair to know is "except," which is most commonly used as a conjunction or preposition, and "accept," which is a verb.  

And no one knows except the both of us.

Caption 10, Alanis Morissette: Hands Clean

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So, based on the numbers alone, you'd be foolish not to accept this offer.

Captions 24-25, Cannes Advertising Festival Apple: Escape from the Office

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Further Learning
For the pronunciation of these words, watch the videos on Yabla English. In addition to our lessons on homonyms listed above, you can also review our lesson on "they're," "their," and "there."