Here's a breakdown:
* Same pronunciation: The key characteristic is that homophones sound identical.
* Different meaning: They have distinct definitions and meanings.
* Often different spelling: While some homophones may be spelled the same (like "bear" as an animal and "bear" as a verb), many have different spellings (like "to, too, two").
Examples:
* there, their, they're
* hear, here
* write, right
* see, sea
* flour, flower
Homophones can be tricky, and it's important to use the correct one in writing and speech to avoid misunderstandings.