# serve vs sieve

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### serve
*noun · IPA /sɜːv/ · frequency rank #1,502*
An act of putting the ball or shuttlecock in play in various games.

### sieve
*noun · IPA /sɪv/ · frequency rank #29,084*
A device with a mesh, grate, or otherwise perforated bottom to separate, in a granular material, larger particles from smaller ones, or to separate solid objects from a liquid.

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