Sound and Sense, 38

We’re moving next to the homophone: a word pronounced the same as another but differing in meaning, whether spelled the same way or not, as heir and air. So … contronyms are words that have contradictory meanings (sanctiion = approve and disapprove; homophones sound alike but to not mean the same—and often are not spelled the same, either.

adds verb (3rd person singular): to calculate a sum

ads noun (plural): advertisements

adze (noun): an ax-like tool, for dressing timbers roughly, with a curved, chisel-like steel head mounted at a right angle to the wooden handle. (See below.)

I carefully would check the ads—

I needed then a brand new adze.

But I’m a guy who rarely adds

With too much confidence.

My checkbook doesn’t make much sense

(It’s never balanced, to the cents),

And so I couldn’t buy the tool—

I cursed myself, You’re such a fool

For failing all that math in school!

So now to see my bills are paid

I’m once again in seventh grade,

Where progress (so I hope) is made.

The kids are pretty nice to me—

Don’t laugh at me too frequently.

How thoughtful those sweet kids can be!