Today’s four grammar tips about sound-alike, look-alike words:
- Homonyms have the same sound and often the same spelling but different meanings. Examples: quail (cower) and quail (bird); fair (appearance), fair (county fair), and fair (reasonable).
- Homophones are pronounced the same but are different in meaning, origin, and sometimes spelling. Examples: cite, sight, and site; sea and see; your and you’re; bow and bough.
- Homographs are spelled alike but are different in origin, meaning, and sometimes pronunciation. Examples: bow of a ship, a bow and arrow, and a bow (deference/manners).
- Heteronyms are spelled the same but differ in pronunciation and meaning. Examples: bass (voice) and bass (fish); polish (shine) and Polish (from Poland); tear (rip) and tear (from eye).
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