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

• A. Homograph
• B. Homonym
• C. Hyponym
• D. Minimal Pair

Answer: (B)

Words that are written and pronounced the same but have different meanings are called homonyms. This means the form and the sound are identical, yet the sense changes depending on context. For example, bank can refer to a financial institution or the side of a river, and you know which meaning is intended from how it’s used in the sentence.

Hyponym isn’t about form or sound; it’s a relationship where one word is a more specific term within a broader category (like dog within animal). A minimal pair involves two words that differ by a single sound and usually have different meanings, so they don’t share exact pronunciation. A homograph is the same spelling with potentially different pronunciations, which isn’t guaranteed to have the same sound as the other meaning. Homonyms fit the condition of being identical in both written form and spoken sound while carrying different meanings.