homework

/ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/

//ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk// noun

"homework" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“homework” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #5,799 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#5,799
frequency rank, English
8
letters
12
tracked misspellings
4
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

homework vs housework
78% similar
homework vs homeworld
78% similar
homework vs homeward
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for homework
PropertyValue
Headwordhomework
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/
Letters8
Frequency rank#5,799
Misspellings tracked12
Confusable pairs4
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “homework” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). homework lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for homework is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/. Corpus data places it at rank #5,799 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 12 likely wrong-spelling variants for homework, with forms such as "hhomework", "hmoework", and "hoemwork". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 4 confusable-pair relationships, "housework", "homeworld", "homeward", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From home + work. The correct English form is homework, spelled H-O-M-E-W-O-R-K.

Definition

  1. 1
    Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class.
  2. 2
    Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class.
  3. 3
    Any work that is done at home; housework.
  4. 4
    Sexual intercourse.
  5. 5
    Tasks assigned by a dominant for a submissive to perform when they are physically away from their dominant or otherwise free.

Etymology

From home + work.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: hhomework,hmoework,hoemwork,homeowrk,homewokr,homeworkk,homeworrk,homewrok,homewwork,hommework,homweork,ohmework

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of homework - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

hhomework1hmoework2hoemwork2homeowrk2homewokr2homeworkk1homeworrk1homewrok2
Edit distance from "homework"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "homework"?
"homework" is spelled H-O-M-E-W-O-R-K. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/.
What does "homework" mean?
As a noun, "homework" means: Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class.
What words are commonly confused with "homework"?
"homework" is commonly confused with "housework", "homeworld", "homeward". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "homework"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "homework" is /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "homework"?
From home + work. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “homework”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is H-O-M-E-W-O-R-K - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈhəʊmˌwɜːk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “housework” - see the side-by-side comparison. homework vs housework
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list