What is the difference between sole and soul?

Sole means the only one (the sole survivor) or the bottom of a foot or shoe. Soul is the spirit of a person — the part that feels and believes.

Is it sole survivor or soul survivor?

Sole survivor — it means the only person who survived. Soul survivor is a common mistake; you may see it as a song title, but it is not standard English.

How do I remember sole vs soul?

S ou l has a u in it — a soul is you , the person inside. Sole ends in -ole like hole and whole , and it means the only one.

Level: B2

Sole vs Soul

Sole (the only one; the bottom of a shoe) and soul (the spirit of a person) sound exactly the same. Remember: soul has a u — a soul is you. Practice with the sentences below.

🔍 Confused words · pair 42 of 54 ⏱ about 5 minutes 🔊 every sentence has audio

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For Matching Game quizzes, choose sentences that include more than one of the words below. If you pick sentences with only one word, the quiz will automatically add a sentence using another word.

Sole – the only one; also the bottom of a foot or shoe.
The ______ of my shoe is worn out. – sole
He was the ______ survivor of the accident. – sole
She is the ______ owner of the bakery. – sole
My ______ reason for calling was to say thank you. – sole
The ______ of my foot hurts. – sole
He is the ______ member of the club from our town. – sole
Their ______ purpose is to help children. – sole
Sand stuck to the ______ of my sandal. – sole
The thick rubber ______ gives good grip. – sole
She was the ______ witness to the crime. – sole
My ______ concern is your safety. – sole
The ______ of the boot is very thick. – sole
He has ______ responsibility for the money. – sole
A small stone was stuck in the ______ of my shoe. – sole
The company is the ______ supplier of these parts. – sole
Her ______ hobby is painting. – sole
The ______ of a running shoe is soft. – sole
That was the ______ mistake in the whole report. – sole
Water leaked through a crack in the ______. – sole
He is the ______ heir to the farm. – sole
The ______ aim of the class is to build confidence. – sole
Soul – the spirit of a person; also a person.
Music touches the ______. – soul
She is a very kind ______. – soul
There was not a ______ on the street. – soul
He put his whole ______ into the painting. – soul
The old song moved my ______. – soul
My grandmother had a generous ______. – soul
Poetry can feed the ______. – soul
He sang the last song with real ______. – soul
Not a single ______ knew the answer. – soul
The house felt empty without a ______ inside. – soul
She has the ______ of an artist. – soul
Some people believe the ______ never dies. – soul
His music has a lot of ______. – soul
The poor ______ had nowhere to go. – soul
Her eyes show a gentle ______. – soul
He is the ______ of the team. – soul
That book fed my ______ for weeks. – soul
He lost his ______ to greed. – soul
Every ______ in the village came to the party. – soul
The singer has a beautiful ______. – soul
A quiet walk is good for the ______. – soul

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between sole and soul?: Sole means the only one (the sole survivor) or the bottom of a foot or shoe. Soul is the spirit of a person — the part that feels and believes.
Is it sole survivor or soul survivor?: Sole survivor — it means the only person who survived. Soul survivor is a common mistake; you may see it as a song title, but it is not standard English.
How do I remember sole vs soul?: Soul has a u in it — a soul is you, the person inside. Sole ends in -ole like hole and whole, and it means the only one.