1.6.1

Homonyms

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Homonyms

Homonyms are words that are spelt the same and sound the same but have different meanings.

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Homonyms

  • Sometimes the same word can have multiple meanings.
    • Words with multiple meanings are called homonyms.
  • Homonyms are spelt the same and sound the same but have different meanings in different contexts.
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Homonyms example 1 - seal

  • 'The seal of the cup was broken. The seal splashed into the water.'
    • We can use the words and sentences around a homonym to help us determine which meaning the author intends.
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Homonyms example 2 - bark

  • 'Patch ran as fast as his four legs could take him, and his desperate bark echoed around the deserted valley.'
    • We can deduce that, in this context, the author means a dog’s bark.
    • The author does NOT mean the bark of a tree.
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Homonyms example 3 - bark

  • 'They stripped the bark off the tall trunk to remove the tree sap which they used as glue.'
    • We can deduce that, in this context, the author means a tree’s bark.
    • The author does NOT mean a dog's bark.

Jump to other topics

1Spelling

2Punctuation

3Grammar

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