What are two words that sound the same but have different meanings and are spelled differently called?

The term for words that sound the same but have different meanings and are spelled differently is homophones. Homophones can create confusion in English because they can be pronounced identically while meaning entirely different things, demonstrating the richness and complexity of the language. Examples include "bare" and "bear," or "flower" and "flour." This phenomenon is particularly significant in phonetics and linguistics because it highlights the importance of context in understanding spoken language. In contrast, homographs refer to words that are spelled the same but may or may not sound the same and can have different meanings (like "lead" as in to guide and "lead" the metal), while synonyms are words that have similar meanings, and antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Understanding these terms is crucial for language learners as they navigate the nuances of English vocabulary.