Homophones

Unit 3.5
Homophones

A word having similar pronunciation as another but different in meaning and spelling.
Difference between Homophones, Homographs & Homonyms

Term Meaning Spelling Pronunciation

Homophone Different Different Same
Homograph Different Same Different
Homonym Different Same Same
Homophones
Uses
Uses

Homophones are often used to create puns or wordplay.

e.g., No matter how much you push the envelope, it will still be stationery.

Stationary means still or not moving.

Stationery means writing supplies or staples.
Uses

Homophones are used to deceive or puzzle the reader or listener. Such as in crossword
puzzles and tongue twisters. It often leads to spelling mistakes.

e.g., At my beach house, I love to wake up and see the sea.

I won't spend one cent on a bottle of perfume until I know that I love the scent.
Uses

Homophones are commonly used in poetry and creative literature.

e.g., Thomas Hood's use of "birth" and "berth" and "told" and "toll'd" (tolled) in his
poem "Faithless Sally Brown":

His death, which happen'd in his berth,

At forty-odd befell:
They went and told the sexton, and
The sexton toll'd the bell.
Examples
Homophones Examples
knot not I do not know how she learned to tie the knot to make that
necklace.

right write There is no right way to write a great novel.

weather whether I do not know whether to bring a jacket or not. The

weather looks unpredictable today.

sole soul I need to get a new sole put on my favorite pair of running
shoes. Jogging is good for my soul.
References
What Are Homonyms? (with Examples). (n.d.). Grammar Monster. Retrieved February
24, 2021, from
https://www.grammar-monster.com/glossary/homonyms.htm#:~:text=When%20ho
monyms%20have%20the%20same,are%20called%20%22heteronyms.%22
)

Examples of Homophones. (n.d.). Your Dictionary. Retrieved February 24, 2021, from
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-puns.html

Homophone. (2021, February 5). In Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homophone