Discover what homonyms are and how they work in English. This post covers types of homonyms with clear examples to boost your vocabulary and avoid confusion.

Have you ever been confused by words that sound the same or look the same but mean something totally different? Welcome to the world of homonyms, a quirky yet essential part of the English language.

What Are Homonyms?

Homonyms are words that either:

• Sound the same but have different meanings (and sometimes different spellings),
• Look the same and have different meanings, or
• Both look and sound the same, but mean different things.

Types of Homonyms

There are three main types:

1. Homophones

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.

For Example:

2. Homographs

Homographs are words that have the same spelling but have different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations.

For Example:

3. Homonyms

These are words that are spelled and pronounced the same but have different meanings.

For Example:

Bat (an animal)

Bat (used in sports)

Common Examples:

100 Homonyms Examples with Meanings

Word	Meaning 1	Meaning 2
Watch	Observe	Timepiece
Yard	Unit of measure	Outdoor space
Wind	Moving air	To twist
Well	Good health	Water source
Spring	Jump	Season
Trip	A stumble	A journey
Trunk	Elephant’s nose	Car storage
Tire	A wheel cover	To become weary
Star	A celestial body	A famous person
Rose	A flower	Past tense of rise
Sole	Only	Part of foot
Seal	Animal	To close something
Row	To paddle	A line
Pitch	Throw	A musical tone
Rock	Music	Stone
Ring	Circle	To call
Right	Correct	Opposite of left
Ream	Large quantity of paper	To criticize harshly
Quarry	An excavation site	A prey being hunted
Plane	Aircraft	A tool or surface
Novel	A book	New or unusual
Pass	To go by	A grade
Palm	Tree	Inside of hand
Page	A sheet of paper	A young servant
Lie	Lay Down	To tell a falsehood
Mole	A small mammal	A spy or secret agent
Mind	The brain	To pay attention
Mean	Unkind	Average
Light	Weightless	Visible radiation
Grave	Serious	Burial place
Lean	To incline	Thin or lacking fat
Left	Direction	Past tense of leave
Hard	Solid	Difficult
Hail	Ice pellets	To greet or call
Drop	To fall	A small amount of liquid
Flat	Level surface	An apartment
Firm	A business	Solid or steady
File	A collection of data	To smooth with a tool
Fast	Moving quickly	To abstain from food
Fair	Reasonable	A carnival event
Wound	An injury	Past tense of wind
Current	Flowing water	Happening now
Bright	Intelligent	Full of light
Bit	A small piece	Past tense of bite
Bat	To hit	A mammal
Bark	To shout sharply	Tree covering
Suit	A set of clothes	A legal case
Well	In good health	A water source
Watch	A timepiece	To observe
Trip	A journey	To stumble or fall
Tire	To become weary	A rubber wheel part
Ship	A large boat	To send something
Stick	A twig	To adhere
Stalk	Part of a plant	To follow stealthily
Spring	A season	To jump up suddenly
Sink	A basin	To go down in water
Rock	A stone	A music genre
Seal	A sea animal	To close something tightly
Scale	To climb	A measuring device
Saw	Past tense of see	Cutting tool
Ruler	A leader	Measuring tool
Row	A line of things	To paddle a boat
Pen	A writing instrument	An animal enclosure
Pound	A unit of weight	To hit repeatedly
Pole	A long rod	Either end of Earth’s axis
Point	A sharp tip	A unit of score
Pitcher	A container	A baseball player
Arm	Part of the body	A division of a company
Can	Able to	A metal container
Bow	Front of a ship	A decorative knot
Bank	Financial institution	Side of a river
Bear	To carry or endure	A large mammal
Bat	Flying mammal	Sports equipment
Bark	Dog’s sound	Tree’s outer covering
Log	A piece of wood	A record or journal
Park	Public green area	To stop a vehicle
Net	A mesh material	Remaining amount
Nail	Part of the body	A metal fastener
Mole	A small animal	A spy or skin mark
Match	A contest	An igniting stick
Game	A contest	Wild animals hunted
Light	Not heavy	Illumination
Letter	Alphabet symbol	A written message
Kind	Type or category	Being nice
Jam	Fruit preserve	Traffic congestion
Gum	Chewing candy	Tissue in the mouth
Duck	To lower quickly	A waterfowl
Foot	Part of the body	A unit of measure
Fly	To move through air	A small insect
Fine	Good or acceptable	A penalty fee
Fan	An admirer	A cooling device
Capital	City or town	Money or wealth
Down	Towards lower position	Soft feathers
Die	To cease living	A dice
Date	A social or calendar event	A fruit
Crane	A bird	Construction equipment
Club	A group of people	A blunt weapon
Cell	Small room or unit	A biological unit
Minute	A unit of time	Extremely small
Ring	A circular band of metal	To make a sound like a bell

What are homonyms?

Homonyms are words that sound the same or are spelled the same but have different meanings.

Can you provide an example of homonyms?

Yes! The word “bat” can refer to a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment used in baseball.

Are homonyms always spelled the same?

No, not all homonyms are spelled the same. Some homophones, like “flour” and “flower,” sound alike but have different spellings and meanings.

What is the difference between homonyms and homographs?

Homonyms include both homographs (same spelling, different meanings) and homophones (same sound, different meanings). For example, “lead” (to guide) is a homograph, while “pair” (a set of two) and “pear” (a fruit) are homophones.

How can homonyms cause confusion in communication?

Homonyms can lead to misunderstandings if the context isn’t clear. For example, “I saw her bat” could mean seeing someone with a baseball bat or seeing a bat flying.

Are there any common phrases that use homonyms?

Yes! Phrases like “time flies” (referring to the passage of time) and “flies” (insects) showcase how context clarifies meaning.

Can learning homonyms improve language skills?

Understanding homonyms can enhance vocabulary, comprehension, and the ability to play with language creatively.

Where can I find more examples of homonyms?

Many educational websites, dictionaries, and language learning resources offer extensive lists and examples of homonyms for further study.

Animal Idioms that make English more fun

Homophones: Sentences That Sound the Same