# bait vs bale

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### bait
*noun · IPA /beɪt/ · frequency rank #8,894*
Any substance, especially food, used in catching fish, or other animals, by alluring them to a hook, snare, trap, or net.

### bale
*noun · IPA /beɪl/ · frequency rank #12,731*
Evil, especially considered as an active force for destruction or death.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bait-vs-bale