homonym: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “homonym” mean?
A word that is spelled and pronounced the same as another word but has a different meaning.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A word that is spelled and pronounced the same as another word but has a different meaning.
In linguistics, the term can refer broadly to words that share the same pronunciation (homophones) or spelling (homographs). More specifically, it denotes the strictest sense where words share both form and sound.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term itself is used identically. Examples of homonyms may vary slightly due to pronunciation differences (e.g., 'route'/'root' are homophones in some US accents but not in most UK accents).
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Slightly more common in UK academic writing, but the difference is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “homonym” in a Sentence
X and Y are homonyms.The word 'X' is a homonym for 'Y'.to distinguish between homonymsVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “homonym” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- [Not applicable as primary noun]
American English
- [Not applicable as primary noun]
adverb
British English
- [Not standardly used]
American English
- [Not standardly used]
adjective
British English
- The homonymic pair caused confusion in the legal text.
- We studied homonymic clashes in Middle English.
American English
- The homonymic relationship between 'bank' (river) and 'bank' (financial) is classic.
- Homonymic ambiguity must be resolved by context.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in discussions of branding where names clash (e.g., 'Apple' the fruit vs. 'Apple' the tech company).
Academic
Common in linguistics, semantics, lexicography, and language teaching.
Everyday
Used when explaining puns, wordplay, or common confusions (e.g., 'bear' the animal vs. 'bear' to carry).
Technical
Precise term in computational linguistics for disambiguation tasks.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “homonym”
Strong
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “homonym”
- Confusing 'homonym' with 'synonym'.
- Using 'homonym' to mean any similar-sounding word (should be 'homophone').
- Misspelling as 'homonyn' or 'homonyme'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Homophones sound the same but may be spelled differently (e.g., 'to', 'too', 'two'). Homonyms are spelled AND pronounced the same (e.g., 'lie' (untruth) and 'lie' (recline)).
Not always. Pronunciation differences between dialects can create or eliminate homonyms. For instance, 'cot' and 'caught' are homophones in many American accents but distinct in most British accents.
They are a common source of ambiguity and confusion. Understanding homonyms helps learners rely more on context to deduce meaning and improves comprehension.
Yes. For example, 'pole' can refer to a long slender object, a magnetic endpoint, a native of Poland, or the opposite ends of a sphere.
A word that is spelled and pronounced the same as another word but has a different meaning.
Homonym is usually formal, academic in register.
Homonym: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɒm.ə.nɪm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑː.mə.nɪm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this meta-linguistic term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
HOMO (same) + NYM (name) → same name for different things.
Conceptual Metaphor
LANGUAGE IS A MAP: Homonyms are like two different places sharing the same coordinates, causing potential navigation errors.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following pairs is a TRUE homonym (same spelling AND pronunciation)?