Homonyms are words that are identical in sound, spelling, or both, but have different meanings. There are three main types of homonyms: homonyms proper which have the same spelling and sound but different meanings, homographs which have the same spelling but different sounds and meanings, and homophones which have the same sound but different spellings and meanings. Linguists further classify homonyms into full homonyms and partial homonyms depending on the extent of the overlap in spelling, sound, and meaning.

1. 1. 6. knows, nose
flour, flower
2. horse, hoarse 7. aunt, ant
3. ring, wring 8. meat, meet
4. pale, pail 9. hair, hare
5. plane, plain 10. sent, cent
I, eye
6. 12. bawl, ball

2. Homonyms
Homonyms are words
which are identical in sound
and spelling or at least in one
of those aspects in their
meaning. Traditionally, there
are three types of homonyms.

3.  Homonyms proper: Words that have the
same spelling and same pronunciation, but
different meanings.
Example: I hope you are not lying to me.
My books are lying on the table.
 Homographs: Words that have the same
spelling, but different pronunciations and
meanings.
Example: The dove is a white bird.
He dove into the pool
 Homophones: Words that have the same
pronunciation, but different spelling and
different meanings.
Example: Please try not to (waste, waist)
paper.

4. Some linguists classified homonyms into
two larger classes:
- Full homonyms
- Partial homonyms
1. Full lexical homonyms:
to found – found /past form of find/
to lay – lay /past form of lie/
2. Complex lexico-grammatical partial
homonyms:
left/right/ - left/to leave/
rose(n) – rose(v.to win)
3. Partial lexixal homonyms:
to can (canned) – can (could)

5. Homonyms Homophones Homographs
Same spelling,
multiple meaning words Words that sound alike different pronunciation,
different meanings
the spruce tree... addition for math desert = abandon
to spruce up... edition of a book desert = area of land
I want to go
suit yourself... bass = fish
I like it too
wore a suit... bass = instrument
One plus one is two
weigh on the scale... capitol building close = nearby
scale the wall... state capital close = to shut