The term for a word that sounds the same but has a different meaning is "homophone." Homophones are a type of homonym, where the words share the same pronunciation but may have different meanings and spellings. Examples of homophones include "pair" (a couple) and "pear" (a fruit), as well as "to," "two," and "too." Understanding homophones is essential for effective communication and can sometimes lead to humorous misunderstandings in writing and speech. They are often used in wordplay, poetry, and puns due to their phonetic similarities.