Homonyms are generally defined as words different in meaning but either identical both in sound and spelling or identical only in sound or spelling. 同形同音异义词是意义不同、而发音与拼写皆相同或只有拼写或只有发音相同的词。

1. Types of homonyms

Perfect/absolute homonyms完全同形同音异义词

Homographs同形异义词

Homophones同音异义词

Of the three types, homophones constitute the largest number and are most common.

2. Origins of homonyms

Change in sound and spelling 读音和拼写演变的结果

Borrowing借入外来词的结果

Shortening 词语缩略的结果

3. Differentiation of homonyms from polysemants 

一般地说，多义词是一词多义，几个意义之间有历史的或现实的联系，它们都是从一个基本意义派生出来的，有“同源、同族”的关系，而同形同音异义词则是同一拼写或同一发音，但在意义上大多没有任何历史的或现实的联系，它们非同出一源，而只是读音和拼写上的偶合。在词典中，同形同音词通常以独立项分立，而多义词的各不同义项则全部列在同一词项下。

4. Rhetoric features of homonyms

1）“Waiter”

         “Yes, sir”

         “What’s this?”

         “It’s bean soap, sir.”

         “No matter what it’s been, what is it now?”

2)   Why should a man never tell his secrets in a cornfield? Because it has so many ears.

3) Why is the Middle Ages also called the Dark Ages? Because there were so many Knights.

From the above examples, we can see that homonyms are often employed to create puns for desired effect of humor or irony for stylistic purposes.