What's the difference between homonyms and homophones?

Answer 1

Here's a fuller set of terms. Not everyone uses these terms the same way, but here's an attempt to lay out one reasonable way of using them.

Note that ALL of these terms describe sets of words that are in some way the same (in either spelling or pronunciation), but have a different MEANING.


"HOMONYMS" are pronounced the same [=homophone]
it MAY be spelled the same [like a homograph]

"HOMOPHONES" are one type of homonym --they are pronounced the same but **spelled differently**
examples: to, too, two; there, their, they're

"HOMOGRAPHS" are spelled the same, but MAY be pronounced differently (some say the must be pronounced the same, like homonyms)

"HETERONYMS" (sometimes called heterophones) are spelled the same but pronounced differently
example: (pencil) lead, lead (singer)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/homophone (see chart)
http://www.factspider.com/ho/homonym.html

Answer 2

Weather Homophone

Answer 3

A homonym: One of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike but different in meaning.
Examples: chase as in “to pursue” and chase as in “to ornament metal.”

A homophone: A word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not
Examples: heir and air

Answer 4

A homonym: One of two or more words spelled and pronounced alike but different in meaning.
Examples: chase as in “to pursue” and chase as in “to ornament metal.”

A homophone: A word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not
Examples: heir and air

If you have small children (or a big kid yourself), there is a great song about homophones on Veggie Tale's " Sumo of the Opera" called "School House Polka" and is song by Larry the Cucumber:

Whether, whether, whether, whether
Whether you like it or not
Weather, weather, weather, weather
Weather is cold, warm and hot.

Two, two, two, two
Two of my favorite toys
I'm bringing to, to, to, to
A place the first one enjoys…
and I like it, too!

Homophones! Homophones!
Where the crews come cruising down the plane!
Homophones! Homophones!
I need my kneaded biscuits plain!

I know a pear, pear, pear, pear
With a pair of really soft shoes.
He wears them to pare, pare, pare, pare
Bushes that easily bruise.

I planted rows, rows, rows, rows
of a horribly bad smelling rose
Now no one knows, knows, knows, knows
If the scent will be leaving my nose!
But most likely no.

Oh!
Homophones! Homophones!
Where the toads are towed out on the plane!
Homophones! Homophones!
I need my kneaded biscuits plain!

Whether, whether, whether, whether,
Whether you like it or not
Weather, weather, weather, weather
Weather is cold, warm and hot.

Answer 5

Homonym
One of two or more words that have the same sound and often the same spelling but differ in meaning, such as bank (embankment) and bank (place where money is kept).
Homophone
One of two or more words, such as night and knight, that are pronounced the same but differ in meaning, origin, and sometimes spelling.

Answer 6

Homonyms> words that Mean the same
Homophone? words that sounds the same but with a different meaning (depends on the context u use them)

Answer 7

Homonyms are words that have different meanings but are spelled and pronounced alike-QUAIL-(the bird) and QUAIL (to fear or be afraid) .Homophones are words that sound the same-(ours and hours) but differ in meaning.

Answer 8

Homonyms are names like Vincenzo, Fabian, and Devin.

Homophones come in yellow, pink, and lavender, with Village People ringtones.

Love, Jack.