Homonyms
English: Year 5 & 6 National Curriculum, topic 1.7.3
Homonyms
Homonyms are words that are spelt the same and sound the same but have different meanings.
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.
Seal
- 'The seal of the cup was broken.'
- 'The seal splashed into the water.'
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.
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.
Test yourself on Homonyms
What is the meaning of 'match' in this sentence?
'I couldn't find a match to light the bonfire.'Select the homonym from the following sentences:
'I am the kind of person who helps others.'What is the meaning of 'bat' in this sentence?
'The baseball player swung his bat and hit the ball over the fence.'