One of the biggest challenges in your English learning journey – especially when preparing for the IELTS test – is grasping subtle variations in vocabulary. For example, what’s the difference between homonyms and homographs? It can be confusing – even proficient English speakers sometimes get mixed up – but it’s necessary to understand the nuance.
By recognising the difference between homonyms and homographs, you’ll write and sound more fluent in English. Plus, you’ll be more likely to achieve a higher band score in your IELTS test.
Understanding the difference between homonyms and homographs
Homonyms and homographs can be quite confusing, because while they always have different meanings, they sometimes sound the same and are sometimes spelled in the same way, too.
- Homonyms sometimes refer to words that sound alike but may have different spellings – see and sea, for example.
- Homographs always have the same spelling, they sometimes have the same pronunciation and they always have different meanings.
- For example, these words are spelled the same - but sound different: tear (‘a tear rolled down his cheek’) and tear (‘Be careful not to tear the paper’)
- These are spelled the same, sound the same, but mean different things: ‘The jelly hasn’t set, so it’s not ready to eat yet’ (become firm); and ‘I need to buy a new dinner set before the party’ (collection of something)
Below are some examples of common homonyms in everyday English:
1. Bat
- 'He swung the bat and hit a home run.'
- 'A bat flew out of the cave at dusk.'
The first use of ‘bat’ refers to an object used in baseball while the second is a nocturnal mammal.
2. Bear
- 'I can’t bear the loud noise any longer.'
- 'We spotted a bear near the river.'
Again, the spelling and pronunciation are the same, but the first is a verb meaning 'to tolerate,' while the second is a noun referring to a large mammal.
3. Flour / flower
- 'She sifted the flour before baking the cake.'
- 'He picked a red flower for his mother.'
These words are pronounced identically, but the first one refers to an ingredient made from a grain and the second is a plant.
4. Right / write
- 'Turn right at the next intersection.'
- 'Please write your name at the top.'
‘Right’ and ‘write’ are pronounced the same but spelled differently. One indicates the direction, while the other is a verb talking about composing a text.
What are homographs?
The difference between homonyms and homographs is that homographs always share the same spelling, but can be pronounced the same or differently. In order to figure out which word is being referred to, you have to rely on sentence context.
Let’s look at some examples of common homographs in everyday English:
1. Lead
- 'Please lead the team meeting today.'
- 'This pipe is made of lead.'
The word in the first sentence is pronounced /liːd/ and means to guide, but in the second sentence, it’s pronounced /led/ and refers to a heavy metal.
2. Bow
- 'She took a bow at the end of her performance.'
- 'He strung his bow and aimed at the target.'
In the first case, /baʊ/ means to bend forward and can also be used as a verb ‘to bow’. In the second sentence, /bəʊ/ refers to a weapon for shooting arrows. In the second example, the same word pronounced in the same way can also refer to a pretty knot for decorating a present, or when you tie your shoelaces.
3. Tear
- 'A single tear rolled down her cheek.'
- 'Be careful not to tear the paper.'
The first ‘tear’ is pronounced /tɪər/ and means a drop of liquid that spills from the eye. In the second example, /teər/ means to rip or pull apart.
4. Wind
- 'The wind is very strong today.'
- 'Please wind the clock before bedtime.'
Here, the pronunciation and meaning change based on talking about moving air /wɪnd/, (in the first example) or the verb pronounced /waɪnd/ meaning to turn or twist (in the second example).
Paying attention to these homographs in reading and listening tasks helps you improve your listening and speaking skills, as well as your understanding of English vocabulary and pronunciation. In the next section, we’ll compare the difference between homonyms and homographs side by side to boost your advanced vocabulary for IELTS.
Top tip: Read Mastering vocabulary for IELTS.
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Difference between homonyms and homographs in IELTS
In the IELTS test, there are plenty of homonyms and homographs examples in the reading and listening sections. Knowing the difference between homonyms and homographs, and being able to use context clues to identify them, can improve your score performance – specifically between a band 6 and a band 7 (or higher) score.
Where do homonyms and homographs appear?
In reading passages, homographs might appear with one meaning in a sentence and a completely different meaning in another. The Academic and General Training texts may include examples which require you to determine the correct meaning.
For example, a passage about climate change may read: ‘The wind has eroded the cliffs over centuries’. Here, you have to decipher that ‘wind’ is referring to weather, specifically air moving over the cliffs.
In a text about emotions, you may read ‘A single tear can reveal deep sorrow’. In this context, you have to conclude that ‘tear’ is talking about emotions and sadness, and therefore is talking about the act of crying.
Meanwhile, in the IELTS Listening test, the speaker might use homonyms like right/write or flower/flour. You have to rely on the surrounding words and sentences to understand what the word means, as you won’t see it spelled out.
If someone says ‘please write down your answer,’ you can deduce that it’s referring to the verb of producing text. Likewise, if a speaker says ‘turn right at the junction,’ you can determine that the ‘right’ in this context is giving directions. This is the ability to know the difference between homonyms and homographs!
How to detect the difference between homonyms and homographs
1. Identify word class
Determine if the word functions as a noun, verb or adjective. This helps distinguish meanings: bear as a verb ('to bear the responsibility’) versus as a noun ('a bear in the zoo').
2. Scan for context clues
Look at verbs and adjectives around the target word. In a sentence like 'She will lead the discussion', the noun 'discussion' signals that ‘lead; is pronounced as /liːd/ and is the verb ‘to guide’.
In the listening section, pay close attention to intonation and stress. Homographs often change stress patterns. For example, for the word ‘object’ as a noun /ˈɒb.dʒekt/, the stress is on the first syllable: ‘She picked up the object’. The verb form /əbˈdʒekt/, stresses the second syllable: ‘The lawyer objected to the new evidence’.
3. Use process of elimination
If one meaning doesn’t make sense, then the other option is likely correct. When you read 'Be careful as the old paper can ____ very easy', you know that 'tear' must be the action /teər/, not /tɪər/ as in to cry. The process of elimination is a simple, but effective, way to tell the difference between homonyms and homographs.
4. Practise with homonyms and homographs examples
Work through official IELTS practice materials and note down examples of homonyms and homographs that you come across. You could make a table with the meaning of each one, how it’s pronounced, and when to use it. Doing so helps improve your overall understanding of English and makes it easier to recognise common homonyms and homographs.
Final thoughts
A good grasp of the differences between homonyms and homographs will enhance your English fluency and pronunciation. By using context clues, practicing with IELTS tests, and incorporating homonyms and homographs into your daily speaking and writing, you’ll naturally learn to distinguish between the two. This not only boosts your confidence and accuracy in English but can also help you achieve a higher score on the IELTS test.
Ready for your IELTS test? Book with the British Council now