A homonym, on the strict school definition, is a word that is spelled the same and sounds the same as another word, but means something else — and often comes from a different history. Bear the animal and bear "to carry or put up with" are the stock example. Bank where you keep money and bank beside a river are another. Nothing in the letters or the sound warns you; only the rest of the sentence does.

A homonym, on the strict school definition homonym，依照學校嚴格的定義 is a word that is spelled the same and sounds the same as another word是拼法一樣、發音也一樣的字 but means something else但意思不同 and often comes from a different history而且通常有不同的字源歷史 Bear the animal動物的bear and bear 'to carry or put up with'和「承受、忍受」意思的bear are the stock example就是經典的例子 Bank where you keep money存錢用的bank and bank beside a river和河邊的bank are another是另一組例子 Nothing in the letters or the sound warns you字母或發音本身不會給你警告 only the rest of the sentence does只有句子其他的部分才會

Though actually, this is one of the slipperiest labels English teachers use. Some textbooks say homonyms must match in both spelling and sound. Some allow a match in only one of those. Some use homonym for the whole messy family, and keep homograph for same spelling and homophone for same sound (two / too / to).

Though actually不過其實 this is one of the slipperiest labels English teachers use這是英文老師用的說法裡最滑溜難抓的一個 Some textbooks say有些課本說 homonyms must match in both spelling and sound homonym必須拼法和發音都一樣 Some allow a match in only one of those有些課本則允許只有其中一項一樣 Some use homonym for the whole messy family有些課本把homonym用來指整個混雜的大家族 and keep homograph for same spelling另外把同拼法的留給homograph and homophone for same sound同發音的留給homophone (two / too / to)（像two / too / to）

Taiwan exam papers tend to want the strict pair: same look, same sound, different meaning. If your book uses the looser meaning, follow that book for the test, then remember that a linguist at the next desk might draw the lines differently. The word itself is a classroom tool, not something people say when they mix up bear in real life.

Taiwan exam papers tend to want the strict pair台灣的考卷通常要的是嚴格版本 same look, same sound, different meaning拼法一樣、發音一樣、意思不同 If your book uses the looser meaning如果你的課本用比較寬鬆的定義 follow that book for the test考試就照課本走 then remember但要記得 that a linguist at the next desk might draw the lines differently隔壁桌的語言學家可能畫的界線不一樣 The word itself is a classroom tool這個字本身是教室裡用的工具 not something people say when they mix up bear in real life不是大家在現實生活裡搞混bear時會說的話