crape, crepe

The words crape, crepe sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Why do crape, crepe sound the same even though they are completely different words?

The answer is simple: crape, crepe are homophones of the English language.

crape
  1. :: noun

    See crepe.

  2. :: noun

    A black band worn, as on the sleeve, as a sign of mourning. Also called crepe.

  3. :: verb-transitive

    To cover or drape with or as if with crape.

crepe
  1. :: noun

    A light soft thin fabric of silk, cotton, wool, or another fiber, with a crinkled surface. Also called crape.

  2. :: noun

    See crape.

  3. :: noun

    Crepe paper.

  4. :: noun

    Crepe rubber.

Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition and Wordnik.

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About Homophones

Homophones (literally "same sound") are usually defined as words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled.

If they are spelled the same then they are also homographs (and homonyms); if they are spelled differently then they are also heterographs (literally "different writing").