Which of the following describes homographic homophones?

Homographic homophones are defined as words that sound alike and have the same spelling but different meanings. This means that when spoken, they are indistinguishable from each other, yet their meanings can vary significantly. A common example is the word "bat," which can refer to a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment used in baseball.

This term is distinct from other types of homophones, which may differ in spelling or meaning. For instance, words that are spelled differently and sound alike do not fall under the category of homographic homophones, as they lack the identical spelling aspect. Additionally, words that share identical meanings are not relevant in this context since that describes synonyms rather than homophones. The idea that these words are only used in poetry does not relate to their definition at all, as they are used in various forms of writing and speech beyond poetic contexts. Therefore, the definition provided in the correct answer captures the essence of homographic homophones accurately.