Question

Identify the correct pair of homonyms.

• A. high, why
• B. mine, thine
• C. night, knight
• D. bright, shine

Hint:

To identify homonyms, check if the words sound exactly the same (homophones) or are spelled exactly the same (homographs), while always having different meanings.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Define "homonyms."
Homonyms are words that share the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings. More specifically, they can be categorized into:
Homophones: Words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings (e.g., to, too, two).
Homographs: Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations (e.g., bow (to bend) and bow (a weapon)).
In common usage for multiple-choice questions, "homonyms" often broadly refers to homophones.

Step 2: Evaluate each pair of words.
(1) high, why: These words are pronounced differently and have different meanings. ('high' /haɪ/, 'why' /waɪ/).
(2) mine, thine: These words are pronounced differently and have different meanings. ('mine' /maɪn/, 'thine' /ðaɪn/).
(3) night, knight: Both words are pronounced identically as /naɪt/. However, they are spelled differently and have distinct meanings ('night' is the period of darkness; 'knight' is a medieval warrior). This is a classic example of homophones, which fall under the broader category of homonyms.
(4) bright, shine: These words are pronounced differently and have different meanings. ('bright' /braɪt/, 'shine' /ʃaɪn/).

Step 3: Conclude the correct pair of homonyms.
The pair 'night, knight' fits the definition of homonyms (specifically homophones) as they sound alike but have different spellings and meanings.