1.7.3

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.
  • Homonyms sound the same.
  • But homonyms have different meanings in different contexts.
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Seal

  • 'The seal of the cup was broken.'
  • 'The seal splashed into the water.'
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Bark

  • 'Patch ran as fast as his four legs could take him, and his bark echoed around the 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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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

1Reading

1.1Reading

1.2Prefixes

1.3Suffixes

1.4Spelling Rules

1.5Reading Comprehension

1.6Reading Comprehension: SAT Practise

1.7Word Meaning

1.8Fact vs. Opinion

1.9Justifying Views

1.10Figurative Language

1.11Text Structure

2Writing

2.1Sounds in Words

2.2Homophones

2.3Using a Dictionary

2.4Writing Composition

2.5The Subjunctive Mood

2.6Modal Verbs

2.7Active & Passive Voice

2.8Relative Clauses

2.9Expanded Nouns

2.10Punctuation

2.11SAT Spelling Practise

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