Homographs

Homographs are words that share the same spelling but have different meanings and, often, different pronunciations. The term originates from the Greek words “homo,” meaning “same,” and “graph,” meaning “writing.”

Types of Homographs#

Different Pronunciations (Heteronyms)#

• Examples:
  • Lead
    • Lead (to guide): “The tour guide will lead the group through the museum.”
    • Lead (a type of metal): “The pipes in the old house were made of lead.”
  • Tear
    • Tear (to rip): “Be careful not to tear the paper when you remove it from the notebook.”
    • Tear (a drop of liquid from the eye): “A single tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the sad movie.”

Same Pronunciation (Homophones)#

• Examples:
  • Bark
    • Bark (the sound a dog makes): “The dog began to bark loudly when the mailman approached the house.”
    • Bark (the outer covering of a tree): “The bark of the old oak tree was rough and covered in moss.”
  • Bat
    • Bat (a flying mammal): “A bat flew out of the cave as we approached.”
    • Bat (an implement used in sports): “He hit the baseball with a wooden bat.”

How to Identify Homographs#

• Context Clues: The surrounding words and sentences often provide hints about which meaning of the homograph is intended.

  • Example: “I will lead the meeting tomorrow” vs. “The pipe is made of lead.”

• Pronunciation: Paying attention to pronunciation can help differentiate between meanings in spoken language.

  • Example: “The wind will blow” vs. “Wind the clock.”

• Parts of Speech: Understanding the part of speech can also help. For instance, ‘record’ can be a noun or a verb.

  • Example: “She will record the session” (verb) vs. “I have a record of the meeting” (noun).