No, not the homosexuals. The homonyms, -phones, and -graphs. Also shout out to the ever-confusing heteronym.... I love these words, but even I do occasionally trip up, and while it's been a slow week for grammatical peeves, there's something cringe-worthy in this list for everyone!
HOMONYMS are words that sound alike but have different meanings.
Homophones are a type of homonym that also sound alike and have different meanings, but have different spellings. (All homophones are homonyms!)
HOMOGRAPHS are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. Heteronyms are a type of homograph that are also spelled the same and have different meanings, but sound different.
Here are some classics and my absolute favorites:
Homonyms, -phones
see, sea
their, there, they're
its, it's
Homographs
bough (tree limb)
bow (front of a boat)
bow (at the waist)
bow (at the waist)
bow (tied with ribbon)
bow (shoots arrows)
bow (shoots arrows)
Heteronyms
wound (injury)
wound (to tie up)
produce (fruit, vegetables)
produce (to make)tear (to rip)
tear (to cry)
bass (fish)
bass (instrument)
