“Bow (front of a boat) and bow (a knot) are homophones.”
Usage Entry 1404 / 1605 60-second read
Homophone vs. Homograph
Words that sound alike versus words that are spelled alike.
The comparisoni
“Bow (front of a boat) and bow (a knot) are homographs — same spelling, different pronunciation. Homophones sound alike (knight/night).”
The ruleii
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PHONE = sound. GRAPH = writing.
HOMOPHONES sound alike: night/knight, write/right. HOMOGRAPHS look alike: lead (metal) / lead (verb), bow (ship) / bow (knot). HOMONYMS share both: bank (river) / bank (money). Phone = sound, graph = writing.
Memory aidiii
Remember it like this
Phone = sound. Graph = letters.