Which term describes words that are written the same but pronounced differently and have different meanings?

• A. Homonym
• B. Homophone
• C. Homograph
• D. Hyponym

Answer: (C)

Words that are written the same but have different meanings are called homographs. The clue that they are pronounced differently supports this idea, since some homographs are spoken differently in their different meanings (these are often called heteronyms, a specific type of homograph). The broader term that fits the described scenario—same spelling, different meanings, and the possibility of different pronunciations—is homograph. Homophones would apply when the focus is on sound alone (same pronunciation, possibly different spellings), and hyponym is about word relationships, not spelling or pronunciation. A quick example: lead (to guide) vs lead (the metal) are spelled the same but pronounced differently and have different meanings, illustrating how homographs function (with heteronyms being the subset where the pronunciation changes).