Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs and Heteronyms

by Daniel Scocco

There is some confusion and controversy around the definition of homonyms, homophones, homographs and heteronyms. In this article we will explore the difference between those terms.

Homonym comes from the Greek homo which means “same” and onym which means “name.” When we talk about words, however, what should we use to define their names? The spelling or the pronunciation? Probably both. Homonyms, therefore, can be defined as two or more words that share the same spelling, or the same pronunciation, or both, but have different meanings.

Since there are several “types” of homonyms (e.g., same spelling but different pronunciation, same pronunciation but different spelling, same spelling and same pronunciation), further categorization is needed. We can say that homonyms represent the big category, from which 3 sub-categories emerge:

Homophones: two or more words that share the same pronunciation but have different meanings. They may or may not be spelled on the same way.

Examples: write and right, desert (to abandon) and desert (a thing deserved)

Homographs: homonyms that share the same spelling. They may or may not have the same pronunciation.

Examples: present (a gift) and present (to introduce), row (argument) and row (propel with oars)

Heteronyms: those are homonyms that share the same spelling but have different pronunciations. That is, they are homographs which are not homophones.

Example: desert (to abandon) and desert (arid region)

Summing up

homonyms.png

The Wikipedia article on homonyms has a quite useful graph illustrating all the different combinations. As you can see some homophones are also homographs, and some homographs are also heteronyms.

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25 Responses to “Homonyms, Homophones, Homographs and Heteronyms”

  1. Sharon on June 2, 2007 7:55 pm

    Great post – and I love the chart, which makes it easy to tell the difference.

  2. Daniel on June 2, 2007 8:36 pm

    Thanks Sharon. Still I find that there should be a standard definition for those terms.

    While the view I used is the most used one, there are sources (even important ones like the Britanica) presenting a different definition.

  3. adeline on February 19, 2008 10:46 am

    can i search for the homonyms of a word/s

  4. jasmine on April 10, 2008 12:43 pm

    Do you have any homographs?^,^ I am doing a homework. I need to find 3 homographs. Can u giv me 2 more examples? So far, i have ‘Row’. Please…>

  5. Djelloul on June 14, 2008 7:05 am

    I need lessons in vocabulary in different situations more exercises
    Thanks
    Djelloul

  6. rozan on October 8, 2008 10:50 am

    hey i need 5homographs for a homework.Do u have any?

  7. chris on March 10, 2009 2:13 pm

    .,uhm. . . thank you whoever made this article ..it help me a lot… im one of a lot of people who confuses me in their meanings…. i like the graph that summarizes it all…thank you

  8. Hung on April 15, 2009 3:15 pm

    Thanks for the article.

    When I further read the Wikipedia page you referenced, I find your definition of homonym is different from the Wikipedia page you cited.

    In particular, your def. of homonyms makes it the super-set of homographs and homophones. The definition in Wikipedia is that homonyms is the intersection of homophones and homographs.

    Thanks.

  9. mirna on April 24, 2009 2:09 pm

    this saite is very nice and i love this sate i hope you to see this siteee

  10. jomar on June 24, 2009 4:21 am

    hmMMmm????can u help me to find 10 examples of heteronym and 10 examples of homographs and also 10 examples of homophones for my homework in english111…..plsss help me

  11. Fazeera on July 18, 2009 2:38 am

    I checked in your site hoping to find the difference between homonyms and homophones and ended up getting even more confused.

    I wish there was a standard definition which defined things straight.

  12. SENTHILNATHAN on September 21, 2009 3:35 pm

    Can anybody help me by giving 10 words with different meanings(Homonyms) to complete my son’s homework.

    Thanks and Regards

  13. Francess on March 23, 2010 8:09 am

    the differences clearly made by the writer makes it clear for someone’s understanding but the examples given are not much. Could you please make an update of other few examples?

  14. Lucia on March 30, 2010 4:45 pm

    Cany you send me 10 examples of the homonyms, heteronyms, homophones, homografs, and puntuations English rules. It will a great help for my English test.

  15. jocelyn on April 20, 2010 7:54 pm

    is team a homograph?

  16. Chioma on May 20, 2010 1:54 pm

    I need more example of homonyms please

  17. Divya on October 1, 2010 4:52 am

    I want more examples of homonym

  18. kaye on October 12, 2010 8:21 pm

    …tnx! such a big help!

  19. Becky Ladd on January 8, 2011 3:29 pm

    I am still confused about homographs and heterographs–the definition seems to contradict itself–it says that a homographs are homonyms that share the same spelling–they may or may NOT have the same pronunciation; homonyms are 2 or more words that have the same spelling, pronunciation, but different meanings; and heteronyms have the same spelling but different pronunciations–homographs which are NOT homophones. Very confusing for me and to teach to students. What are these: lead–I will lead the parade.; and lead–the pipe has lead in it? I read the book today; I read the book yesterday. Thanks for helping me understand….

  20. david on February 14, 2011 11:10 am

    You made a mistake when you said that the 2 deserts were homophones (they need to sound alike and do not) they are therefore homographs.

  21. Troy on March 14, 2011 9:34 pm

    I really like the graph, its very useful for a visual person like me.

  22. Jared on August 5, 2011 6:57 pm

    You definitions of homonym, homograph and homophone seem to agree with the definition from this website http://www.all-about-spelling.com/homonyms-homophones-homographs.html
    Homonyms mean they have the same name. That could mean they are spelled the same or that they sound the same or both. Homophones and homographs are types of homonyms. Homophones have the same name in the way they sound. (to, too, two.) Homographs have the same name in the way they are spelled. (Can you pass me the can of soup?)
    I tend to believe those two websites over wikipedia.

  23. Bharath Sanyasi on October 20, 2011 2:06 am

    I really like the above graph but I am not sure how correctly I have understood.

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