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.
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