Bail-Bale | Commonly Confused Words

Bail

/beɪl/

To temporarily release someone from custody, often after paying a certain amount of money.

Off with the bails, umpires!' I want bail.''Yes, you can have bail,' said the policeman.

/beɪl/

A large bundle of material, such as hay, cloth, or paper, tightly bound with cords or wires.

Bail contains an i, just like jail, often involving legal situations.
Bale contains an e, like sheep, which is commonly baled wool or hay.
You bail someone out of trouble, but when you harvest hay, you make it into bales.
Remember that youd write a bale of hay, not a bail'.
To bail can also mean to remove water from a boat—think of bail as removing or freeing.