noun
homonym
HAH-muh-nim/ˈhɑːmənɪm/
A word with the same spelling or sound as another word but a different meaning.
The word bat is a homonym naming both a mammal and sporting equipment.
Etymology
The roots mean “same name”: different meanings share a single outward word form. The sameness belongs to the spelling or pronunciation, not to what the words mean.
In context
if you have the same spelling the same pronunciation but have different meaning and so we call that two words or more words as homonym
More examples
- “Flour” and “flower” are homonyms because they sound alike but mean different things.
- The homonyms “tear” in your eye and “tear” in your shirt sound different.
- A pun often plays on the different meanings of homonyms.
Forms
homonym · homonyms
homonymous adjective — Sharing spelling or sound, but not meaning.
Similar words
- homophone
- Specifically shares pronunciation with another word, regardless of spelling.
- homograph
- Specifically shares spelling with another word, regardless of pronunciation.