homographs, homonyms, homophones

Homonyms are words that have different meanings but are pronounced or spelled the same way. There are two types of homonyms: homophones and homographs.

Homophones sound the same but are often spelled differently.

The homophones carp (to complain needlessly) and carp (the fish) have the same spelling:

• Rashad would tune out when his boss began to carp at him.
• Johanne’s passion is fishing for trophy carp.

However, the homophones cent, scent and sent differ in spelling:

• When my grandmother emigrated to Canada, she didn’t have a cent to her name.
• Joe and Bridget’s favourite movie is The Scent of Green Papaya.
• The parcel was sent by courier.

Homographs have the same spelling but do not necessarily sound the same.

Bank (a financial establishment) and bank (the slope bordering a river) are homographs that are spelled and sound the same:

• Go to the bank and deposit your paycheque.
• Jim and Janet went down to the river bank to admire the swans.

But sewer (a conduit for waste) and sewer (a person who sews) sound quite different:

• The sewer drains were backed up.
• Novice sewers often buy their fabric on sale.

Note: Some homonyms—such as carp and bank, as we have just seen—are both homophones and homographs: they are both pronounced and spelled the same.