A homograph is a word that has the same spelling as another word but a different meaning, and sometimes a different pronunciation.

Basic idea

  • Homographs are “same spelling, different meaning” words.
  • They may share pronunciation (like bat : animal vs. baseball bat) or differ in pronunciation (like lead metal vs. lead to guide).

Simple examples

  • Bow :
    • The front of a ship.
* What you use with arrows.
  • Lead :
    • A type of metal.
* To guide someone.
  • Desert :
    • Dry, sandy land.
* To abandon someone.

In each case the spelling is the same, but the meaning changes depending on context in the sentence.