Homophones are defined as?

Homophones are defined as words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings. This characteristic is crucial in understanding and identifying homophones because, despite their identical pronunciation, they convey distinct ideas or concepts. This can lead to common language challenges, particularly in writing, where using the wrong homophone can change the intended meaning of a sentence. For example, “bare” and “bear” sound the same, yet they refer to very different things.

The other options do not accurately reflect the definition of homophones. Words with similar meanings and different spellings refer to synonyms, while words that are often used interchangeably describe synonyms or words that might have overlapping meanings but are not necessarily homophones. Lastly, terms that are universally recognized do not pertain to the specific linguistic concept of homophones. Therefore, the definition that captures both the auditory and semantic distinctions of homophones is the one stating that they sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.