What does the term "homonym" refer to?

The term "homonym" refers specifically to words that sound the same but have different meanings, which aligns with the definition provided in the second choice. This means that homonyms can include words that are spelled the same and pronounced the same, such as "bat" (the animal) and "bat" (the sports equipment), as well as words that share the same pronunciation yet have differing spellings and meanings, like "to" (a preposition), "two" (the number), and "too" (meaning also).

The first choice describes synonyms, which are words that have similar meanings, rather than focusing on pronunciation or spelling. The third choice mistakenly suggests that homonyms are exclusively words that share both spelling and pronunciation, which is not the full scope of the term. The fourth choice refers to homophones, which specifically describes words that are pronounced the same but have different spellings and meanings, whereas homonyms may encompass those and additionally refer to words that are both spelled and pronounced the same. Thus, the appropriate characterization of homonyms closely aligns with the definition provided in the second option.