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In the English language, there are many confusing word groups such as "whether" and "weather," and "there," "their," and "they're." Because there are so many, English also has terminology to distinguish between the different word groups and their specific characteristics.
Homonyms
"Homonym" is the overarching term used to describe words that illustrate the following conditions:
1) words that share the same spelling but have different meanings
2) words that have the same pronunciation but different meanings
3) words that have the same spelling but different pronunciation and meaningsUnder this main grouping are the subcategories of homophones and homographs.
Homophones
This category refers to words that share the same pronunciation, but could be spelled differently and have different meanings.The words "write" and "right" sound the same, but are used in varying contexts.
1) Jack had to write a paper for class.
2) Laura made a right turn onto the road.Another example is "dessert" and the verb form of "desert." Because he ate his whole dinner, the little boy could have dessert.
3) The soldier did not desert his post during the attack.Because this second example is so frequently misused, try creating a mnemonic to help you remember at least one: "dessert" has the double letter -s because we always want more of the sweet treats.
Homographs
Homographs are words that are spelled the same, but have different meanings. In some cases, words in this category are pronounced the same way. The words that are spoken the same way are also part of the homophone group."Row" has a variety of definitions, but the sound of the word stays the same in each.
1) This first meaning, a verb, involves using oars to paddle a boat: We had to row quickly back to shore.
2) Another popular use, a noun, refers to objects organized in a line: The child placed all the blocks in a row.
3) Also a noun but less frequently used is the definition of a fight: The drunken fan started a row in the bathroom during the game.
Another example following these rules is the word "second."
1) When referring to time, "second" is used as: The swimmer beat his best time by a second.
2) This word could also mean "coming after the first in place, time, value, or degree": Joe lives in the second house on the left.
Heteronyms
Heteronyms are a specific subtopic of homographs based on their quality of sharing the same spelling, but words in this group have different pronunciations.Referring back to an example above, the word "desert" has multiple definitions.
1) As a noun, one definition of "desert" means a dry, sandy region. We drove through the desert on our way to Las Vegas.
2) As a verb, "desert" means to abandon, and this form is pronounced differently from the noun form.The police found a deserted vehicle in the alley.
"Wind" is a popular heteronym as well.
1) When referring to weather, "wind" is a noun: The strong winds broke many tree branches.
2) In the verb form, "wind" means to turn: We have an antique clock that we have to wind daily.
Ultimately, the most important aspect of homonyms is using the individual words correctly in context. Doing so will ensure clarity in the information you are trying to convey in your writing and speech.