Same pronunciation, different meaning? Ask BBC Learning English

How can you identify words that sound the same but have different meanings?

Here's a question from Marta.

How to identify words that have the same pronunciation,

but they have different meanings?

We also want your questions.

You can send us an email to [email protected].

But now onto homonyms.

So, these words are called homonyms.

That means they have the same pronunciation or spelling,

but they have a different meaning.

For example,

'new' and 'knew'.

'Bat' and 'bat'.

'Park' and 'park'.

'To' and 'two'.

There are a lot of examples in English.

So how can you know which word they mean?

Well, always think about the context.

If it's dark and you're outside,

is it more likely to be 'bat' or 'bat'?

But if you're chatting to friends about sports,

then it's more likely to be 'bat'.

So I go up to bat next and...wow!

My next tip is to look at the grammar.

For example, the word 'saw' has a lot of meanings.

There's 'soar', the verb that means fly like a bird or a ball through the sky.

There's 'saw', the past tense of the verb 'see',

and there's 'sore', the adjective, like pain.

So when we have 'is sore', the meaning can only be pain,

because 'sore' is an adjective.

Here, the verb 'is' before it.

Ah, my neck is sore.

And how about 'is soaring'? Well, there,

it's a verb in the present continuous form.

So the meaning could be 'flying through the sky' – 'is soaring'.

Or it could be 'the action using a tool, the saw'.

Wow, the ball is soaring

out the stadium!

There are lots of homonyms in English, so learn some and practise using them.

But a lot of the time, many of them will only be used

in very specific situations.

So, for example, 'saw' will usually be the past tense of 'see'.

I saw a really good film last night.

'Sore', 'saw' and 'soar' are less common.

Sometimes words put together can sound very similar,

but they have different meanings.

What do you understand by this?

'Four candles'. You might have heard 'four candles' or 'fork handles'.

They sound very similar.

But again, think about where you are, who you're with,

what are they talking about?

What's most likely to be said in that situation?

Here are some other examples.

'Grade A'. 'Grey day'.

'I scream'.

'Ice cream'.

Well, that's all for now,

but check below where there's more information on this topic

and I will see you soon. Bye!