Homonym is used with a variety of meanings. It is commonly used to mean one of two or more words pronounced alike but having different spellings and meanings, such as fair and fare . In more precise contexts such words are called homophones , from the Greek homos , same + phōnē , sound. Homonym is also sometimes used to mean one of two or more words that are spelt alike but differ in origin and meaning and sometimes in pronunciation, such as wind (a breeze) and wind (to coil). Again, in more precise contexts such words are called homographs , from the Greek homes , same + graphein , to write. Homonym , in precise usage, means a word identical with another in spelling and pronunciation but differing from it in origin and meaning, such as bear (the animal) and bear (to carry).

Unfortunately or not, homonym is well established in each of these sense, and is perhaps most commonly used synonymously with homophone – that is, to refer to one of two or more words that sound alike but otherwise differ, such as read and reed or whole and hole .