Which word pair is an example of homophones?

Homophones are words that sound alike but have different meanings and often different spellings. The pair "Rode/Road" exemplifies this definition perfectly. "Rode" is the past tense of the verb "ride," meaning to travel on a vehicle or animal, while "road" refers to a path or surface for vehicles or pedestrians. Despite having different meanings and spellings, they are pronounced the same, making them homophones.

In comparison, the other word pairs do not fit the criteria of homophones. The pair "Spruce - spruce tree" refers to the same term and is not about differing meanings or spellings. "Bow - ribbon" signifies a relationship between a noun and its usage or function rather than two distinct but phonetically identical words. Similarly, "Run/Ran" involves a verb in two different tenses but does not reflect the homophonic quality since they do not sound the same. Thus, "Rode/Road" stands out as the only true pair of homophones.