Identify Homonyms and Homophones
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What you will learn
- 1Distinguish between homonyms and homophones
- 2Identify the correct meaning of a homonym based on context
- 3Choose the correct homophone to complete a sentence
Mini Lesson
Some words sound alike or look alike but have different meanings. Understanding these words is an important reading skill.
Homonyms
Homonyms are words that are spelled the same AND sound the same but have different meanings. You use the context of the sentence to figure out which meaning is intended.
- bat — a flying animal / a wooden bat used in baseball
- bank — a place to keep money / the side of a river
- light — not heavy / the opposite of dark
- bark — the sound a dog makes / the outer layer of a tree
- ring — a circular piece of jewelry / the sound of a bell
Homophones
Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings. Context and spelling both matter.
- there / their / they're — place / belonging to them / they are
- to / too / two — direction / also or more than enough / the number 2
- hear / here — to listen / this place
- right / write — correct or a direction / to form letters
- flower / flour — a plant blossom / a powder used in baking
Words to know
homonym
A word spelled and pronounced the same as another but with a different meaning.
e.g. "Bat" the animal and "bat" used in baseball are homonyms.
homophone
A word that sounds the same as another but is spelled differently and means something different.
e.g. "There", "their", and "they're" are homophones.
context
The words and sentences around a word that help reveal its meaning.
e.g. In "a bat flew at night", the context tells you it is the animal.
meaning
What a word stands for or refers to.
e.g. The meaning of "calm" is peaceful and quiet.
spelling
The order of letters used to write a word.
e.g. "To" and "two" have different spellings but sound alike.
For homophones, read the whole sentence before choosing. The meaning of the sentence will tell you which spelling is correct.
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