Homonyms are spelled the same and sound the same but have different meanings (a can of soda, can I help you). Homophones sound the same but are spelled differently (write and right). Homographs are spelled the same but are often pronounced differently (the desert with its sand, to desert a friend).
Why the three terms are confusing
One thing that makes homonym, homophone, and homograph confusing is their shared beginning. Homo- comes from the Greek word homos, which means "one and the same". The second part says what is the same: homonym means "same name", homophone "same sound", and homograph "same writing". So all three words describe things that are alike in some way.
Another source of confusion is that teachers, linguists, and dictionaries do not all agree on the definitions. Many people use homonym loosely for either a homophone or a homograph, which leads to mix-ups. This article uses the strict definitions:
| Term | Same spelling | Same sound | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homonym | yes | yes | can (able to) and can (a tin) |
| Homophone | no | yes | write and right |
| Homograph | yes | often not | desert (sand) and desert (to abandon) |
What is a homonym?
When you talk about words, you have to think about both their spelling and their pronunciation. In the strict sense, homonyms are two or more words that are spelled the same and pronounced the same but have totally different meanings.
Some authors use the term more broadly, for any words that share a spelling or a pronunciation, so homonyms end up in the same category as homographs and homophones. Some people even use homonym to mean homophone. But true homonyms are spelled the same.
Examples of homonyms:
- can (as in "Can I help you?") and can (as in a can of soda)
- duck (the bird) and duck (to bend down quickly to avoid a blow)
- tip (the pointed end of something), tip (to fall or turn over), and tip (the money you leave a waiter, or a useful hint)
An example of a homonym in a sentence:
Even though she is the sole heir to her father's shoe collection, the sole of one of her own shoes is worn through.
What is a homophone?
Homophones are two or more words that are pronounced the same but have different spellings, meanings, or origins. People often confuse homophones and homonyms because the definitions depend on whom you ask. Unlike homonyms, which sound the same and are spelled the same, homophones are spelled differently.
Examples of homophones:
- aid (help) and aide (an assistant or helper)
- flair (a natural talent or ability) and flare (a sudden flame or a signal light)
- hole (an opening, as in a wall) and whole (complete, entire)
An example of a homophone in a sentence:
I write about the bad way this girl makes me feel, which just isn't right.
Homophones cause many spelling mistakes. For a classic pair, see principle vs. principal, and for the most common trio, there, their, and they're.
What is a homograph?
Homographs are words that are spelled exactly the same but have totally different meanings. They are often pronounced differently, too. Because many writers treat the three terms in similar ways, people get confused. You can always see a homograph in its spelling, and you can often hear the difference when it is spoken.
Examples of homographs:
- desert (a dry, sandy area) and desert (to abandon someone in a time of need)
- bass (the low notes in music) and bass (a fish)
- wind (moving air) and wind (to coil or twist something, or to wind a clock)
An example of a homograph in a sentence:
Can you please record my favorite program about the man trying to beat the world record for spelling?
How to tell them apart
Because people use and explain these three words in so many ways, it is easy to get confused. Just remember:
- Homonyms have different meanings but sound alike and are spelled the same.
- Homophones: think of the phone at the end of the word, which means "sound" or "voice". Homophones have the same pronunciation.
- Homographs: think of the graph, which means "writing". Homographs are written the same way.
So homonyms and homographs are spelled the same, and homophones are not.
Because a homophone is a real word, a check that looks at one word at a time does not see it as a mistake. The AI Spell Checker reads whole sentences, so it also catches a real word in the wrong place, such as right where you meant write. For more rules worth knowing, see six important grammar rules.