# scale vs spade

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### scale
*noun · IPA /skeɪl/ · frequency rank #1,575*
A ladder; a series of steps; a means of ascending.

### spade
*noun · IPA /speɪ̯d/ · frequency rank #18,960*
A garden tool with a handle and a flat blade for digging. Not to be confused with a shovel which is used for moving earth or other materials.

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