Heteronyms - English language
Heteronyms are a type of homograph. They are words that are spelled the same but differ in meaning and pronunciation. All heteronyms are also homographs, but not all homographs are heteronyms. Many heteronyms are similar in meaning (especially a related noun and verb are spelled the same but pronounced differently), while others are wholly unrelated.
Here is a list of some of the most common heteronyms in the English language:
* affect - (ah-FECT) to change; (AF-fect) feeling or emotion
* alternate - (ALT-er-nit) another choice; (ALT-er-NAIT) switch back and forth
* appropriate - (ap-PROPE-ri-ATE) to take possession of; (ap-PROPE-ri-it) suitable
* are - (AIR) 100 square meters (a hundredth of a hectare); (AHR) plural present tense of "to be"
* arithmetic - (a-RITH-me-tic) a branch of mathematics; (AIR-ith-MET-ic) characteristic of arithmetic
* attribute - (at-TRIB-ute) to ascribe; (AT-trib-ute) characteristic
* axes - (AX-ez) plural of axe; (AX-eez) plural of axis
* bass - (BASE) a stringed instrument; (BASS) a fish
* bow - (rhymes with "how") to incline the head in greeting; also, front of a ship; (rhymes with "tow") weapon that shoots arrows
* bowed - (rhymes with "how'd") inclined the head in greeting; (rhymes with "towed") bent
* buffet - (BUF-fet) to hit; (buf-FAY, boof-FAY) a meal at which guests serve themselves from dishes on display
* close - (CLOZE) to shut; (CLOHSS) nearby
* combine - (COM-bine) threshing machine; (com-BINE) put together
* conduct - (CON-duct) behavior; (con-DUCT) to direct or manage
* conflict - (CON-flict) disagreement or fight; (con-FLICT) to be in opposition
* console - (CON-sole) upright case; also, computer terminal; (con-SOLE) to comfort
* consort - (CON-sort) companiobn or partner; (con-SORT) to keep company
* construct - (CON-struct) something constructed; (con-STRUCT) to assemble
* content - (CON-tent) substantive part; (con-TENT) satisfied
* contest - (CON-test) competition; (con-TEST) to dispute
* contract - (CON-tract) agreement; (con-TRACT) to shrink or to agree on a project
* convert - (CON-vert) one whose belief was changed; (con-VERT) to change one's belief
* converse - (CON-verse) opposite; (con-VERSE) to talk
* convict - (CON-vict) prisoner; (con-VICT) to find guilty
* crooked - (CROOKD) bended; (CROOK-ed) bent
* deliberate - (de-LIB-er-ate) carefully considered; (de-lib-er-ATE) to consider
* desert - (DES-ert) arid region; (de-SERT) to leave; also, something deserved
* digest - (DIE-jest) collection of published material; (die-JEST) absorb nutrients
* do - (DOO) to accomplish; (DOE) musical note
* does - (DUZ) performs; (DOZE) multiple female deer
* dove - (rhymes with "love") a bird; (rhymes with "hove") jumped off
* drawer - (DROR) compartment that is opened by pulling out; (DRAW-er) one who draws
* ellipses - (ee-LIP-sez) plural of ellipse; (ee-LIP-seez) plural of ellipsis
* entrance - (EN-trance) entry way; (en-TRANCE) to captivate
* evening - (EVE-ning) the time of day between afternoon and night; (EVE-en-ing) making even
* excuse - (EX-cuze) to let someone off; (ex-KYEWSS) justifying explanation
* house - (HOWSS) building that serves as living quarters; (HOWZ) to provide with living quarters
* incense - (IN-cense) substance that produces a pleasant aroma when burned; (in-CENSE) to anger
* intern - (IN-tern) a worker in training; (in-TERN) confine to a prescribed area
* invalid - (IN-val-id) someone who is sick or disabled; (in-VAL-id) not valid
* laminate - (LAM-in-it) a layered construct; (LAM-in-ATE) to construct by layering
* lather - (hard "th") foam or suds; (soft "th") one who installs lath (lattice)
* lead - (LEED) to guide; (LED) a metallic element
* minute - (MIN-it) sixty seconds; (my-NOOT) tiny
* moderate - (MOD-er-it) not excessive or extreme; (mod-er-ATE) to preside over
* mow - (rhymes with "cow") pile of hay stored in a barn; (rhymes with "tow") to cut grass
* multiply - (MULT-i-PLY) to perform the mathematical operation of multiplication on; (MULT-i-plee) in a multiple manner
* number - (NUM-ber) a discrete value or quantity; (NUM-mer) more numb
* nun - (NUN) women in a religious order; (NOON) the fourteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet
* object - (OB-ject) thing; (ob-JECT) to protest
* overhead - (OVE-er-head) operating expenses; also, an overhead projector; (ov-er-HEAD) high; above the level of the head
* pasty - (PAY-stee) like glue; (PASS-tee) meat pie
* pate - (PATE) top of the head; (PAT) porcelain paste; (pa-TAY) a minced food
* perfect - (PER-fect) flawless; (per-FECT) to make flawless
* periodic - (PEER-ee-ODD-ic) occasional; (PURE-eye-ODD-ic) an iodine compound
* permit - (PER-mit) document giving permission; (per-MIT) to allow
* present - (PREZ-ent) gift; (pre-ZENT) to introduce
* primer - (PRIHM-er) elementary book; (PRY-mer) undercoat of paint
* produce - (PRO-duce) vegetables; (pro-DUCE) bring forth
* project - (PRO-ject) task; (pro-JECT) to forecast; also, to show a movie
* protest - (PRO-test) an objection; (pro-TEST) to object
* pussy - (PUHS-ee) having pus; (POOH-see) kitten
* raven - (RAY-ven) a black bird; (RAV-en) hungry
* rebel - (REB-el) one who refuses allegiance or opposes (re-BEL) to refuse allegiance or oppose
* record - (REC-ord) a documented account; (re-CORD) to set down to preserve
* recreation - (REC-ree-A-shun) entertaining or relaxing pastime; (REE-cree-A-shun) something that is remade, recreated
* refuse - (REF-yoos) garbage; (ref-YOOZ) to deny
* relay - (REE-lay) a race in which members of a team take turns racing; (ree-LAY) to lay again; (rih-LAY) to pass along
* repeat - (RE-peat) repeated television show; (re-PEAT) to perform again
* rerun - (RE-run) repeated television show; (re-RUN) to run again
* resign - (re-ZINE) to quit; (re-SIGN) to sign again
* resume - (ree-ZOOM) to restart; (REH-zoom-ay) document of professional experience
* row - (rhymes with "cow") a fight; (rhymes with "tow") a series of objects; also, to propel a boat with oars
* sake - (SAKE) purpose; (SAH-kee) alcoholic drink
* secreted - (SEE-cret-ed) placed out of sight; (see-CREET-ed) emitted
* separate - (SEP-ar-ATE) to set apart; (SEP-ret) not joined together
* sewer - (SOE-wer) one who sews; (SOO-wer) channel for human waste
* slough - (rhymes with "tough") outer layer or covering that is shed; (rhymes with "cow") a hole filled with deep mud or mire; (rhymes with "through") a marsh
* sow - (rhymes with "cow") a pig; (rhymes with "tow") to plant seed
* subject - (SUB-ject) the theme; also, one ruled by another; (sub-JECT) to force upon
* suspect - (SUS-pect) one suspected of a crime; (sus-PECT) to have suspicion
* tear - (TARE) to rip; (TEER) a drop of the clear liquid emitted by the eye
* unionized - (YOON-yon-ized) belonging to a union; (un-I-on-ized) not converted into ions
* wind - (rhymes with "find") to coil up; (WINNED) moving air
* wound - (WOOND) to injure; (WOWND) coiled up
