Homographs
Homograph is derived from the Greek. It means literally 'same write'. The word describes any group of words which are spelt the same way but have different meanings.
Note: Homonyms are case sensitive. A name, for example, or something spelt with a capital letter, isn't a homograph.
Homonyms aren't the same as Homophones.
They're not always pronounced the same way.
I will read the book.
I have read the book.
Close to home.
Close the door.
Homographs differ in their meanings. Some homographs are obviously from a common original derivation. Others are quite unrelated, with no obvious connection to other uses of the words:
|
|
'Close'
Close- nearby: 'We're getting close to the border.'
Close- confining: 'It's very close in here, isn't it?'
Close- to close: 'Close the door, it's freezing.'
Close- detailed: 'The company is under close scrutiny.'
'Commission'
Commission- sales pay 'The job only pays commission.'
Commission- work of art 'They decided to commission a statue.'
Commission- official 'The Commission will study the industry.'
Commission- military 'He was commissioned a second lieutenant.'
'Cut'
Cut- to sever: 'Cut the ribbon.'
Cut- to divide property: 'Everyone gets a cut.'
Cut- make smaller: 'I know a short cut.'
Cut- interrupt 'She cut across him.'
'Grand'
Grand- appearance 'Everything was done to look grand'
Grand- slang 'We made a hundred grand.'
Grand- musical 'grand piano, Grand Staff'
Grand-occasion 'It was a grand historical event.'
'Gross'
Gross- number 12 x 12 (144) An old commercial measure.
Gross- slang 'A really gross person.'
Gross- financial The company had a gross net profit of $X.
Gross- measurement The gross weight is 1kg including packaging.
|
|
'Tear'
Tear- crying He wiped away a tear.
Tear- action Tear the cloth.
Tear- noun There's a tear in the tablecloth.
Tear- slang That'll tear it, if that happens.
'Tone'
Tone- music A tone is a measure of pitch.
Tone- color A color tone is a shade.
Tone- physical fitness People tone their physiques.
Tone- attitude 'Don't use that tone with me!'
|
'Wind'
Wind- nature The wind blows through the trees.
Wind- metaphor The wind of time blew away the Empires.
Wind- action Winding a clockwork watch.
Wind- slang 'Don't wind them up.' 'He's got the wind up.'
'He's all wind, all talk.'
The best ways of identifying homographs is their idiomatic context. When learning a language like Chinese or English, homographs always have unique meanings.
|
Business Letters 
