What is a homophone for the word bate?

The word "bate" is actually an archaic word meaning "to lessen" or "to abate". While it's not commonly used in modern English, its homophone is "bait".

"Bait" is a much more common word, meaning:

* Something used to lure or attract fish or animals.

* Something used to entice or trap someone.

So, while "bate" might sound the same as "bait", they have very different meanings.