Heel vs Heal
There are many pairs of words in English that have the same pronunciation but different meanings. These pairs are called homonyms. These pairs of words may create confusion to the listeners as they may think of the other word of the pair when the speaker means another. This is what the problem between heel and heal that have the same pronunciation but different meanings. Let us take a closer look in this article.
Heel
The back part of the foot is referred to as one’s heel. Achilles’ heel is the best known phrase to remember the meaning of this word. This phrase is used to indicate the weakness or shortcoming of a warrior to hurt him so that he does not heal quickly or easily.
Heel is also a part of a shoe that is at its back and one that makes the shoe stand above the level of the ground to protect our souls. The word has become so commonplace that even the back part of our stockings and socks are also referred to as heel. Take a look at the following examples.
• Get the heel of your shoe repaired
• My socks have got torn at the heal
• She was looking tall in high heels
Heal
To heal is the natural ability of the body to recover or get repaired after it suffers an injury or gets wounded. If you have had an accident and your friend asks you about your health, you respond by saying that the wound is healing. Thus, to heal is to get better or to recover. Take a look at the following sentences.
• The doctor told him that his hand would heal up in two weeks.
• Pay attention to your diet if you want to heal up quickly.
Heel vs Heal
• Heal is to get better in health; to recover from a disease or injury.
• Heel is the back part of one’s foot. It is also the back part of socks and stockings worn at the same place.
• The hard part at the back of the shoe that prevents injury to our souls when we are walking is also called the heel of the shoe.
• The pronunciations of both heal and heel is the same thus confusing students when they hear the words.
• Heal should be remembered as coming from the first part of the word health, to differentiate it from heel.