Which of the following describes two words with the same pronunciation but different meanings and spellings?

The term that describes two words with the same pronunciation but different meanings and spellings is homophones. Homophones are words that sound alike but differ in meaning, ensuring that they are distinguished by their meanings and spelling, such as "to," "too," and "two." Understanding homophones is important in language learning because they can help learners appreciate the nuances of pronunciation and meaning that exist within the English language.

In contrast, homographs refer to words that are spelled the same but may or may not be pronounced the same and have different meanings, like "lead" (the metal) and "lead" (to guide). Synonyms are words that have the same or similar meanings but are different words, like "happy" and "joyful." Polysemous words are those that have multiple meanings but are written and pronounced identically, such as "bank" (the side of a river) and "bank" (a financial institution). Understanding these differences helps language learners identify the appropriate word choices in context.