They're phonetically identical in most dialects so no meaning was confused here, it's a simple transcription error. The way you say "spelling/meaning" implies

They're phonetically identical in most dialects so no meaning was confused here, it's a simple transcription error. The way you say "spelling/meaning" implies you think they're the same thing but they just absolutely are not, as much as that pains pedants sometimes. If you think otherwise you're mistaken about very basic and long-confirmed foundations of linguistics, like whether meaning derives from the spoken form or the writing system.