In short:
Homophones: Words that sound alike but have different meanings and often different spellings (e.g., there, their, they're; to, too, two).
Homonyms: Words that sound alike and are spelled alike but have different meanings (e.g., bank as in a financial institution and bank as in the side of a river).
Homographs: Words that are spelled alike but have different sounds and meanings (e.g., tear as in a drop of water from your eye and tear as in to rip something). Note that some sources consider homonyms to be a subset of homographs (words spelled the same). This breakdown addresses the definitions as separate concepts.
This is an introduction to the most common and easily understood examples of homophones, homonyms and homographs. Emphasis is on understanding the basic concept and differentiating between words.
Mastering the subtle nuances of homophones, homonyms and homographs helps you understand how they can be used for rhetorical effect (e.g., puns, wordplay, ambiguity).
Homophones:
Beginner
to, too, two
see, sea
here, hear
there, their
knew, new
Intermediate
write, right, rite
flour, flower
pair, pear
Advanced
affect, effect (Subtle and commonly confused pair)
cite, sight, site
principal, principle
stationary, stationery
Homonyms:
Beginner
bat (animal, baseball equipment)
well (a hole in the ground, feeling healthy)
Intermediate
date (calendar, romantic outing)
fair (just, a gathering/festival)
Advanced
address (location, speech)
mean (unkind, average)
train (railway, teaching)
Homographs:
Beginner
tear (a drop from the eye, to rip)
read (present tense, past tense)
Intermediate
minute (a unit of time, extremely small)
present (a gift, to introduce someone)
close (near, to shut)
Advanced
subject (topic, under authority)
attribute (characteristic, to give credit to)
Okay, let's create concrete exercises for each level (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) using some of the teaching strategies I suggested. These are designed to be adaptable for your Google Site, meaning you can create them as Google Forms, Google Docs, or embed existing resources.
I. Beginner Level Exercises:
Focus: Introduction to basic homophones, homonyms and homographs. Simple context and visual support.
Exercise 1: Homophones - Matching with Pictures (Adaptable to Google Slides/Google Docs):
Type: Matching Exercise with Visual Aids.
Goal: Connect the homophone with its meaning using a picture.
Instructions:
On your Google Site: Create a section with the title "Homophones: Matching with Pictures".
Create the Activity:
(Option 1: Google Slides): Create slides with pictures on one side and the homophones on the other. Students drag and drop the words to match the pictures.
(Option 2: Google Docs): Insert a table with two columns: "Picture" and "Word." Insert images in the "Picture" column and homophones in the "Word" column. Students drag and drop or rewrite the words to the correct picture.
Content:
Pictures: A picture of the ocean, A picture of someone seeing.
Homophones: sea, see
Pictures: A picture of here. A picture of ear.
Homophones: here, hear
Pictures: The number 2. A picture of to somewhere. A picture of also.
Homophones: two, to, too
Exercise 2: Homonyms - Fill-in-the-Blanks (Google Forms):
Type: Multiple Choice Fill-in-the-Blanks
Goal: Understanding different meanings of the same word in different contexts.
Instructions:
Create a Google Form titled: "Homonyms - Beginner: Fill-in-the-Blanks"
Add the following questions:
I saw a black ______ flying in the sky. (Multiple Choice)
A) bat
B) bat
Correct Answer: A
I use a wooden ______ to hit the ball. (Multiple Choice)
A) bat
B) bat
Correct Answer: B
I feel ______ today because I slept well. (Multiple Choice)
A) well
B) well
Correct Answer: A
They dug a deep ______ to find water. (Multiple Choice)
A) well
B) well
Correct Answer: B
Exercise 3: Homographs - Pronunciation Focus (Adaptable to Audio on Google Sites):
Type: Recognizing Pronunciation Differences
Goal: Understand that words that are spelled alike may have different pronunciations and meanings.
Instructions:
On your Google Site: Create a section titled "Homographs - Pronunciation Focus"
Create the Activity:
(Option 1: Embedded Audio): Record yourself saying each word pair with the context sentence (examples below), upload the files (Google Drive), and embed the audio players on your Google Site.
(Option 2: Written Explanation): Provide written explanations and phonetic transcriptions.
(Option 3: Link to Online Dictionary): Provide links to online dictionaries (like Merriam-Webster) where students can click to hear the pronunciation.
Content:
Word Pair: tear (a drop from the eye) / tear (to rip)
"She had a tear in her eye." (teer)
"Don't tear the paper!" (tair)
Word Pair: read (present tense) / read (past tense)
"I read a book every night." (reed)
"I read that book last week." (red)
II. Intermediate Level Exercises:
Focus: Expanding vocabulary and using context clues.
Exercise 1: Homophones - Sentence Completion with Multiple Choice (Google Forms):
Type: Sentence Completion with Context Clues.
Goal: Choosing the correct homophone based on context.
Instructions:
Create a Google Form titled: "Homophones - Intermediate - Sentence Completion"
Add the following questions:
The ______ of the flower was very sweet. (Multiple Choice)
A) flour
B) flower
Correct Answer: B
I need some ______ to bake a cake. (Multiple Choice)
A) flour
B) flower
Correct Answer: A
Do you ______ the answer to the question? (Multiple Choice)
A) know
B) new
Correct Answer: A
I have a ______ car. (Multiple Choice)
A) know
B) new
Correct Answer: B
Exercise 2: Homonyms - Paragraph Writing (Google Docs):
Type: Creative Writing
Goal: Using homonyms correctly in a paragraph.
Instructions:
On your Google Site: Create a section titled: "Homonyms - Intermediate - Paragraph Writing".
Activity: Create a Google Doc and share it as a template where each student gets their copy.
Prompt: "Write a short paragraph (5-7 sentences) using both meanings of the word 'date' (calendar and romantic outing). Underline each use of the word 'date'."
Example Paragraph:
"I had a date with my friend last Friday. We decided to check the date in our calendars to see if we were free that day. After looking, we agreed, and had lots of fun!
Exercise 3: Homographs - Identifying in a Text (Adaptable to Google Docs):
Type: Text Analysis
Goal: Recognizing Homographs in Context
Instructions:
(Option 1: Google Doc): Provide students with a short passage of text within a Google Doc.
(Option 2: Embedded Text): Paste the text directly onto your Google Site.
Text:
"It was just a minute detail, but she wanted to minute the meeting notes carefully. She thought it was important to take notes, and it was very important that they are correct, no matter how minute."
Task: "In the text above, identify the homographs. Explain what each one means and what it does to the message being portrayed."
III. Advanced Level Exercises:
Focus: Nuances, rhetorical effects, and creative use.
Exercise 1: Homophones - Analyzing Literary Use (Adaptable to Google Docs):
Type: Textual Analysis
Goal: Understanding the effect of homophones in literature.
Instructions:
(On your Google Site): Create a section called "Homophones - Advanced - Literary Analysis".
(Google Doc): Provide the following excerpt or link to the poem online.
Excerpt: From Shakespeare's Richard III
Now is the winter of our discontent
Made glorious summer by this sun of York;
And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house
In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.
Task: "Consider the words "sun" and "son" as homophones. How could Shakespeare's use of "sun" be interpreted on multiple levels, given the context of the play? Explain your answer, referencing specific lines."
Exercise 2: Homonyms - Wordplay and Puns (Google Docs):
Type: Creative Writing - Pun Creation
Goal: Using homonyms to create puns.
Instructions:
(Google Doc - Individual or Collaborative): Create a Google Doc and share it.
Prompt: "Write at least three original puns using the word 'bank' (river bank and financial institution). Be creative and try to make them funny!"
Example Pun:
"I went to the river bank to deposit my feelings, but the current account was too emotional."
Exercise 3: Homographs - Correcting Sophisticated Writing (Google Docs):
Type: Error Correction.
Goal: Recognizing subtle errors in the use of homographs in a professional writing style.
Instructions:
(Google Doc): Provide the following passage (with intentional errors).
(Task): "Correct the errors in the following passage related to homographs. Explain why you changed each error."
Passage (with errors):
The minute details of the contract were critical to the success of the merger. We wanted to minute all aspects so we are sure that we are all minute enough. Therefore, we asked them to present the new data on the matter at hand.
Key Considerations for Publishing:
Clear Instructions: Make sure the instructions for each activity are very clear and easy to understand.
Accessibility: Ensure that your Google Sites page and the embedded activities are accessible to all students.
Answer Keys/Feedback: Provide answer keys or feedback mechanisms so that students can check their work and learn from their mistakes.
Variety: Offer a variety of activities to cater to different learning styles.
Visuals: Use images, videos, and other visual aids to make the content more engaging.
By adapting these exercises and using the power of Google tools, you can create a comprehensive and engaging resource for your students to master homophones, homonyms, and homographs at all levels. Remember to solicit feedback from your students to refine and improve your activities over time.