# balm vs bell

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### balm
*noun · IPA /bɑːm/ · frequency rank #20,852*
Any of various aromatic resins exuded from certain plants, especially trees of the genus Commiphora of Africa, Arabia and India and Myroxylon of South America.

### bell
*noun · IPA /bɛl/ · frequency rank #2,515*
A percussive instrument made of metal or other hard material, typically but not always in the shape of an inverted cup with a flared rim, which resonates when struck.

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