The words sain, seine, sane sound the same but have different meanings and spellings. Why do sain, seine, sane sound the same even though they are completely different words?
The answer is simple: sain, seine, sane are homophones of the English language.
Of sound mind; mentally healthy: "their protector, the strongest and sanest of them all” ( Pat Conroy).
Having or showing sound judgment; reasonable.
A large fishing net made to hang vertically in the water by weights at the lower edge and floats at the top.
To fish with such a net.
To fish for or catch with such a net.
A large fishing net made to hang vertically in the water by weights at the lower edge and floats at the top.
To fish with such a net.
To fish for or catch with such a net.
Definitions from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition and Wordnik.
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").