Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) Practice Test

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Which term describes words that have the same spelling but different meanings?

Homographs
Heterophones
Homonyms
Capitonyms

The correct answer is: Homographs

The term that accurately describes words that have the same spelling but different meanings is "homographs." Homographs are a category of words where the spelling is identical, yet the meanings can vary significantly. A classic example is the word "lead," which can refer to a metal or the action of guiding. Each of the other terms represents different linguistic phenomena. Heterophones refer to words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently, carrying distinct meanings. Homonyms often create confusion as they can refer to both homographs and heteronyms collectively, meaning they include words that may sound alike or be spelled alike but have different meanings, which complicates clear definitions. Capitonyms are a specific type of homograph that changes its meaning based on capitalization, like "March" (the month) and "march" (to walk in a rhythmic manner), highlighting the role of capitalization in distinguishing meanings. Thus, homographs is the most precise term for words that share spelling while differing in meaning.