Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings (and meanings).

For example “flower” and “flour”

“knight” and “night”

or even “son” and “sun”

Homophones are at the heart of wordplay!

Even the simple homophone of “bear” and “bare” has racked up millions of views on TikTok:

@raeproduced

#remastered Ian’sversion

♬ original sound – ian Rae

The thing to remember about homophones is that they are spelled differently but sound exactly the same.

But another important aspect of wordplay is simply words that can mean multiple things. What are those called?

Homonyms

Homonyms are words that have multiple meanings while sounding exactly the same. For example, “bat”.

or “bark”

Homonyms are always pronounced exactly the same. But what about words with multiple meanings and different pronunciations?

Homographs

Last but not least, we have the tricky Homograph, which are words that have multiple meanings but also multiple pronunciations.

Think “tear” and “tear” – to rip something, or a single drop of liquid from the eye.

Another good one is “lead” and “lead” – to guide others, or a type of metal, pronounced “led”.

Homographs are always spelled the same, but pronounced differently.

Nuances of Language

Understanding homophones, homonyms, and homographs is crucial for mastering the richness of the English language. These words can add a layer of complexity to both written and spoken communication, and their inherent wordplay makes life a little more fun and playful along the way!

Speaking of wordplay, click the button below to try one of Wordshake’s Daily Puzzle Words and stretch your word-association skills!

Daily Puzzle Words