Some words have different meanings,
And yet they're spelt the same.
A cricket is an insect,
To play it--it's a game.
On every hand, in every land,
It's thoroughly agreed,
The English language to explain,
is very hard indeed.

Some people say that you're dear,
Yet dear is far from cheap.
A jumper is a thing you wear,
Yet a jumper has to leap.
It's very clear, it's very queer,
And pray who is to blame
For different meanings to some words
Pronounced and spelt the same?

A little journey is a trip,
A trip is when you fall.
It doesn't mean you have to dance
Whene'er mean you hold a ball.
Now here's a thing that puzzles me:
Now here"s a thing that puzzles me:
Musicians of good taste
Will very often from a band−
I've one around my waist!

You spin a top, go for a spin,
Or spin a yarn may be−
Yet every spin's different spin,
As you can plainly see.
Now here's a most peculiar thing,
'Twas told me as a joke−
A dumb man wouldn't speak a word,
Yet seized a wheel and spoke.

A door may often be ajar,
But give the door a slam,
And then your nerves receive a jar−
And then there's jars of jam.

You've heard, of course, of traffic jams,
And jams you give your thumbs.
And adders, too, one is a snake,
The other adds up sums.

A policeman is a copper,
It's a nickname (impolite),
Yet a copper in the kitchen
Is an article you light.
On every hand, in every land,
It's thoroughly agreed−
The English language to explain
Is very hard indeed!