This paper presents an approach to synthesis of gold nanoparticles with different morphologies and investigation of the relationship between morphologies and their optical properties.Spherical gold nanoparticles with different sizes are synthesized via reduction method.Using seed-mediated solution growth method,gold nanoparticles with shuttle,star and stick shapes can be obtained.The sizes and morphologies of the gold nanoparticles are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The characterization results illustrate the growth process of the gold nanoparticles with different morphologies.Absorption spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy measurements are performed to demonstrate the relationship between the morphologies and optical properties.The results of Raman characterization show that the gold nanoparticles with different morphologies can be used to probe molecules with different concentrations.