Part 8: Same pronunciation, different meaning? Ask BBC Learning English

Here's a question from Marta.

How to identify words that have the same pronunciation, but they have different meanings?

We also want your questions.

You can send us an email to [email protected], but now onto homonyms.

So, these words are called homonyms, that means they have the same pronunciation or spelling, but they have a different meaning.

For example, new and knew.

Bat and bat.

Park and park.

To and two.

There are a lot of examples in English.

So, how can you know which word they mean, well, always think about the context.

If it's dark and you're outside, is it more likely to be bat or bat?

But if you're chatting to friends about sport, then it's more likely to be bat.

So, I go up to bat next and wow!

My next tip is to look at the grammar.

For example, the word soar has a lot of meanings.

There's soar, the verb that means fly, like a bird or a ball through the sky.

There's saw, the past tense of the verb see.

And there's sore the adjective, like pain.

So, when we have is sore, the meaning can only be pain, because soar is an adjective here with the verb is before it.

Oh, my neck is sore.

And how about is soaring, well, there it's a verb in the present continuous form.

So, the meaning could be flying through the sky is soaring, or it could be the action using a tool, the sawing.

Wow, the ball is soaring out the stadium!

There are lots of homonyms in English, so learn some and practice using them.

But a lot of the time, many of them will only be used in very specific situations.

So, for example, saw will usually be the past tense of see.

I saw a really good film last night.

Sore, saw and soar are less common.

Sometimes words put together can sound very similar, but they have different meanings.

What do you understand by this?

Four candles.

You might have heard four candles or fork handles.

They sound very similar.

But again, think about where you are, who you're with, what are they talking about, what's most likely to be said in that situation.

Here are some other examples.

Grade A, grey day.

I scream, ice cream.

Well, that's all for now, but check below where there's more information on this topic and I will see you soon.

Bye.