Category: Grammar
Homograph
Homographs are words with the same spelling but having more than one meaning and are often pronounced differently as well. There are three subgroups:
Subgroup 1
These words have the same spelling and pronunciation, but very different meanings.
Here are some examples:
bat
- noun: a piece of sporting equipment used in baseball.
- noun: a winged animal associated with vampires.
bear
- noun: large mammal with long shaggy coat and strong claws.
- verb: to support or carry.
close
- noun: the temporal end; the concluding time.
- adjective: at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other.
- verb: move so that an opening or passage is obstructed (make shut).
fan
- noun: an admirer.
- noun: a cooling device.
fly
- noun: a two-winged insect.
- noun: move through the air.
left
- noun: the left-hand part, side, or direction.
- verb: past tense of leave.
play
- noun: a theatrical performance of a drama.
- verb: participate in a game or sport.
quarter
- noun: one of four equal parts.
- noun: a United States or Canadian coin worth one fourth of a dollar.
water
- noun: a colourless, transparent, odourless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain.
- verb: supply with water.
Subgroup 2
These words have the same spelling, but different stress.
Here are some examples:
desert
- noun (DE-sert): a rid and hot land with little or no vegetation.
- verb (DEE-sert): to leave.
present
- noun (Pre-SENT): a gift.
- verb (PRE-sent): at this moment or right now.
Subgroup 3
These words have the same spelling, but different pronunciations and meanings.
Here are some examples:
do
- noun: musical note /dou/.
- verb: carry out an action /du/.
read
- verb in present tense /rid/.
- verb in past tense /red/.
Examples of homographs in a sentence
- They were too close to the door to close it.
- I'd like to present you with a birthday present.
- It's not recommended to water the flowers with water from the tap.
- You must polish the Polish shoes.
- The wind was too strong to wind the sail.