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Words that are similar in sound but different in meaning and spelling are known as ______.

a. homonyms
b. antonyms
c. synonyms
d. pseudohomonyms

User Zyoma
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Final answer:

The correct answer to the question is option (d). Words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings are called homophones.

Step-by-step explanation:

Words that are similar in sound but different in meaning and spelling are known as homophones. Examples of homophones include "to", "too", and "two" which sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. On the other hand, homonyms are words that have the same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings, like the word "bat" which can mean a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment.

Homographs, however, share the same spelling but can have a different pronunciation and always a different meaning, such as the word "lead", which can be a metal or a verb meaning to guide. It's important to recognize these differences to avoid confusion in writing, and to ensure that spell checkers do not overlook these words as they may not catch every error due to context.

The correct answer to the question is option (d) pseudohomonyms.

User Merkle Groot
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