Here's why:
* Homophones are words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings.
* Read (past tense of "read") means to look at and understand written words.
* Reed refers to a tall, slender plant that grows in water.
Let's see them in examples:
* Read: I read a book last night.
* Reed: The wind rustled through the reeds by the river.
So, while they sound the same, "read" and "reed" have distinct meanings and spellings, making them classic homophones.