Homophone, Homonym, Homograph & Paronym

Differences between Homophone, Homonym, Homograph & Paronym

Homophone: Words having the same pronunciation, but different meanings & spellings.

For Example, sum & some/ Knew & new / due & dew.

These words which have the same pronunciation, but have different meanings &

spellings are called homophones.

Now let’s move on to ‘Homonym’. Do you know what it is all about? Well, let me explain.

Homonym: Words having the same spellings and pronunciation, but different meanings

are called Homonyms.

For example, for example ‘ can’ meaning ‘be able’ and ‘ can ’ meaning ‘put something

in a container’.

Another example of homonym is ‘ bank ’ which means river bank and the ‘ bank ’ which

means a place where money is kept.

Now let’s move on to ‘Homograph’’. Do you know what a ‘Homograph’ is all about? Well,

let me explain.

Homograph: Words having same spellings, but different meaning and pronunciation.

For Example, ‘bow’ means ‘ the front part of a ship’ and the same word ‘bow’ also means ‘ a

weapon for shooting arrows.’ Another example is ‘ Sow’ which means an adult female

swine and the same word also means ‘ a channel that conducts molten metal to

molds ’.

Now let’s move on to ‘Paronym’. Do you know what a paronym is all about? Well, let me

explain.

Paronym : a word which is a derivative of another and has a related meaning.

"‘wisdom’ is a paronym of ‘wise’". Another example of a paronym is ‘ alternate’ and

‘ alternative’.

Well, that’s all about today’s concept on Homophone, Homonym, Homograph & Paronym. Hope

you have understood.