I learned something today.

I was taught in my younger days that “homonyms” were words that were spelled the same but pronounced differently, and “homophones” were words that were pronounced the same but spelled differently. “Break” and “brake” would then be homophones.

But it turns out “homonym” is the broader category including “homophones,” “homographs,” and words where both are true (same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings). So homophones are homonyms.

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P.S. Though Wikipedia says a more technical definition would limit “homonym” to, specifically, the third category, words that are spelled and pronounced the same but with different meanings. They give examples of “stalk” (part of a plant) and “stalk” (follow/harass a person), or “skate” (glide on ice) and “skate” (a type of fish).

P.P.S. This reminds me of the autoantonym (a word that is its own opposite) “cleave,” which can mean “to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly” or “to split or sever (something), especially along a natural line or grain.“ I don’t know if “cleave” is technically a homonym, or if these are simply two definitions for the same word, and I don’t know who would decide that. But it’s still a fun word.