Cue (used as a noun) most often refers to a hint, or to a signal given to a performer (‘I forgot my line, and had to be given a cue from the stage manager’). Queue most often refers to a succession of things, such as people waiting in a line (‘the show was very popular, and there was a long queue outside the theater every night’).

Cue typically refers to a signal that encourages someone to take an action, while queue indicates an ordered line or file. Both cue and queue are pronounced like the letter Q, and are considered to be homophones. Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings.

These words sound the same, but they differ completely in usage: Cue refers to a signal or a prompt. Queue refers to a line of people waiting for something. Note that “queue” has a lot of vowels, almost like they’re waiting in line after the “q”!

As a noun, a cue is either a signal or a piece of sporting equipment. As a verb, it refers to the act of signaling someone, or the act of striking a ball in billiards games. As a noun, a queue is a lineup of people or other things. As a verb, queue means to line something up or to form a line. A person in a queue waits their turn.

The words cue and queue might sound the same, but they mean different things. A cue is a signal to do something. For instance, an actor takes a cue to start their dialogue. On the other hand, a queue is a line of people or vehicles waiting for their turn. People stand in a queue at the grocery store checkout.