bair, bare, bear

The words bair, bare, bear sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Why do bair, bare, bear sound the same even though they are completely different words?

The answer is simple: bair, bare, bear are homophones of the English language.

bair
  1. :: noun

    Food or other lure placed on a hook or in a trap and used in the taking of fish, birds, or other animals.

  2. :: noun

    Something, such as a worm, used for this purpose.

  3. :: noun

    An enticement; a temptation.

  4. :: noun

    Archaic A stop for food or rest during a trip.

bare
  1. :: verb

    Archaic A past tense of bear1.

  2. :: adjective

    Lacking the usual or appropriate covering or clothing; naked: a bare arm.

  3. :: adjective

    Exposed to view; undisguised: bare fangs.

  4. :: adjective

    Lacking the usual furnishings, equipment, or decoration: bare walls.

bear
  1. :: verb-transitive

    To hold up; support.

  2. :: verb-transitive

    To carry from one place to another; transport.

  3. :: verb-transitive

    To carry in the mind; harbor: bear a grudge.

  4. :: verb-transitive

    To transmit at large; relate: bearing glad tidings.

Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition and Wordnik.

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About Homophones

Homophones (literally "same sound") are usually defined as words that share the same pronunciation, regardless of how they are spelled.

If they are spelled the same then they are also homographs (and homonyms); if they are spelled differently then they are also heterographs (literally "different writing").