Rhyming words are words that sound alike, especially the last stressed syllable.
Words with similar spelling are words that share some of the same letters, but may not sound alike. These words are called homophones if they sound the same but have different meanings (e.g., "to" and "too") or cognates if they share a common origin and have similar meanings (e.g., "nation" and "nation").
Example:
* Rhyming words: cat, hat, bat
* Words with similar spelling (homophones): there, their, they're
* Words with similar spelling (cognates): animal, animation
So, while words with similar spelling can sometimes be related in terms of meaning or origin, they are not considered rhyming words.