Sound and Sense, 57

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.

1. do (noun): the first tone of the diatonic scale (do-re-mi, etc.)

2. doe (noun): a female animal (deer, rabbit, etc.)

3. dough (noun): a mixture of flour and a liquid (water, milk)

She really was a charming doe.

I gave her singing lessons, Yo.

We started out by singing “do ...”

She’d far more talent than a crow,

And soon we made a ton of dough.

I’d start the song—and she could go!

And we were rich (the money flow!)—

So I stayed home (she traveled, though).

I baked a lot with sourdough.

But then, of course, here came bad luck.

She met a dude who drove a truck.

She married him—his name was Buck.

And soon I was completely broke—

This situation ain’t no joke—

While she just fawned upon her bloke.