| Spelling | Pronun. | PoS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| abstract | /ˈæbstrækt/ | a. | existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence |
| /æbˈstrækt/ | v. | consider (something) theoretically or separately from something else | |
| abuse | /əˈbjuːs/ | n. | improper treatment |
| /əˈbjuːz/ | v. | to use improperly | |
| address | AmE and BrE/əˈdrɛs/ | v. | to speak to (address) the crowd |
| AmE /ˈædrɛs/ BrE/əˈdrɛs/ | n. | a postal address | |
| advocate | /ˈædvəkeɪt/ | v. | to argue for someone else |
| /ˈædvəkɨt/ | n. | a person who speaks in support of something | |
| agape | /əˈɡeɪp/ | adv. | open wide |
| /ˈæɡəpiː/,/əˈɡɑːpeɪ/ | n. | altruistic, beneficial love | |
| allied | /əˈlaɪd/ | a. | The vice is of a great kindred: it is well allied. |
| /ˈælaɪd/ | a. | The Treaty of Vienna had bound the Allied Powers to make war together upon Napoleon. | |
| alternate | /ˈɒltərnət/ | adj. | other |
| /ˈɒltərneɪt/ | v. | to take turns | |
| analyses | /əˈnælɪsiːz/ | n. | plural of analysis |
| /ˈænəlaɪzəz/ | v. | third person singular present of analyse | |
| appropriate | /əˈproʊpriət/ | adj. | suitable |
| /əˈproʊpri.eɪt/ | v. | to set apart for | |
| attribute | /ˈætrɨbjuːt/ | n. | a characteristic |
| /əˈtrɪbjuːt/ | v. | to associate ownership | |
| articulate | /ɑrˈtɪkjəleɪt/ | v. | The tourists are the ones who always try to articulate every syllable when they speak the language. |
| /ɑrˈtɪkjəlɨt/ | a. | In one decade, the image of youth went from radicals uttering rage-filled rhetoric to the much less articulate valley girl or surfer wannabe. | |
| axes | /ˈæksiːz/ | n. | pl. of axis |
| /ˈæksɨz/ | n. | pl. of axe | |
| ay/aye | /ˈaɪ/ . | adv. | He voted aye on the legislation he had sponsored |
| /ˈeɪ/ | adv. | They vowed their undying love for aye. | |
| bases | /ˈbeɪsɨz/ | n. | plural of base |
| /ˈbeɪsiːz/ | n. | plural of basis | |
| bass | /ˈbeɪs/ | n. | low in pitch |
| /ˈbæs/ | n. | a fish | |
| blessed | /ˈblɛsɨd/ | adj. | having divine aid |
| /ˈblɛst/ | v. | past tense of bless | |
| bow | /ˈboʊ/ | n. | a stringed weapon |
| /ˈbaʊ/ | v. | to bend in respect | |
| n. | the front of a boat or ship | ||
| buffet | /bəˈfeɪ/ ~ /ˈbʊfeɪ/ | n. | sideboard meal |
| /ˈbʌfɨt/ | v. | to strike | |
| close | /ˈkloʊz/ | v. | to shut |
| /ˈkloʊs/ | adj. | nearby | |
| compact | /kəmˈpækt/ | v. | to compress |
| /ˈkɒmpækt/ | adj. | small | |
| complex | /ˈkɒmplɛks/ | n. | A collection of buildings with a common purpose, such as a university or military base |
| /kəmˈplɛks/ | adj. | Made up of multiple parts | |
| concert | /ˈkɒnsərt/ | n. | We saw SLAYER in concert. |
| /kənˈsɜrt/ | v. | We had to concert all our energy to stay awake. | |
| conduct | /ˈkɒndəkt/ | n. | action |
| /kənˈdʌkt/ | v. | to lead | |
| confines | /ˈkɒnfaɪnz/ | n. pl. | Work within the confines of the contract. |
| /kənˈfaɪnz/ | v. | But the contract confines my creativity! | |
| conflict | /ˈkɒnflɪkt/ | n. | The mother said to her belligerent son, "Violence is no way to resolve conflict!" |
| /kənˈflɪkt/ | v. | The two news reports seem to conflict each other. | |
| console | /kənˈsoʊl/ | v. | provide comfort from grief |
| /ˈkɒnsoʊl/ | n. | control unit | |
| content | /ˈkɒntɨnt/ | n. | information |
| /kənˈtɛnt/ | adj. | satisfied | |
| contract | /ˈkɒntrækt/ | n. | The contract was supposed to expire seven years after it was signed. |
| /kənˈtrækt/ | v. | Derek firmly stated that he would rather contract pneumonia and die than stand outside wearing that ridiculous pink and green poncho. | |
| convict | /kənˈvɪkt/ | v. | to find guilty |
| /ˈkɒnvɪkt/ | n. | one convicted | |
| crooked | /ˈkrʊkt/ | v. | I crooked my arm to show the sleeve. |
| /ˈkrʊkɨd/ | a. | Unfortunately, that just made the sleeve look crooked. | |
| defense | \di-ˈfen(t)s | n. | The attorney gave a strong defense. |
| \dē-ˈfen(t)s | n. | The coach put out his best defense. | |
| desert | /ˈdɛzərt/ | n. | an arid region |
| /dɨˈzɜrt/ | v. | to abandon | |
| discard | /ˈdɪskɑrd/ | n. | Toss it in the discard pile. |
| /dɪsˈkɑrd/ | v. | But I don't want to discard it! | |
| do | /ˈduː/, /də/ | v. | What do you think you are doing? |
| /ˈdoʊ/ | n. | To warm-up, the singer sang the scale from do. | |
| does | /ˈdoʊz/ | n. | pl. of doe |
| /ˈdʌz/ | v. | form of do | |
| /ˈduːz/ | n. | one spelling of the plural of do as a noun[citation needed] - e.g. hair does | |
| dogged | /ˈdɒɡd/ | v. | At night proctors patrolled the street and dogged your steps if you tried to go into any haunt where the presence of vice was suspected. (Samuel Butler, The Way of All Flesh) |
| /ˈdɒɡɨd/ | a. | Still, the dogged obstinacy of his race held him to the pace he had set, and would hold him till he dropped in his tracks. (Jack London, The Son of the Wolf) | |
| dove | /ˈdʌv/ | n. | a bird |
| /ˈdoʊv/ | v. | Mainly American past tense of dive | |
| ellipses | /ɨˈlɪpsɨz/ | n. | Plural of ellipse |
| /ɨˈlɪpsiːz/ | n. | Plural of ellipsis | |
| entrance | /ˈɛntrəns/ | n. | doorway |
| /ɛnˈtræns/ | v. | to delight | |
| house | /ˈhaʊs/ | n. | a residential building |
| /ˈhaʊz/ | v. | to place in residence | |
| incense | /ˈɪnsɛns/ | n. | Dad, I bought this incense at the temple. |
| /ɪnˈsɛns/ | v. | Big mistake. If you burn it here, you'll incense your mother. | |
| intimate | /ˈɪntɨmeɪt/ | v. | to suggest |
| /ˈɪntɨmət/ | adj. | very close | |
| invalid | /ɪnˈvælɨd/ | adj. | incorrect |
| /ˈɪnvəlɨd/ | n. | a disabled person | |
| laminate | /ˈlæmɨneɪt/ | v. | to assemble from thin sheets glued together |
| /ˈlæmɨnɨt/ | n. | material formed of thin sheets glued together | |
| lead | /ˈliːd/ | v. | to guide |
| /ˈlɛd/ | n. | a metal | |
| learned | /ˈlɜrnɨd/ | adj. | having much learning |
| /ˈlɜrnd/ | v. | past tense of learn | |
| lima | /ˈlaɪmə/ | attributive | A vegetable |
| /ˈliːmə/ | pn. | The capital of Peru | |
| live | /ˈlɪv/ | v. | to be alive |
| /ˈlaɪv/ | adj. | having life | |
| minute | /maɪˈnjuːt/ | adj. | small |
| /ˈmɪnət/ | n. | unit of time | |
| mobile | AmE /ˈmoʊbiːl/, BrE /ˈmoʊbaɪl/ | n. | The baby sat in awe at the bright colors on the mobile. |
| AmE /ˈmoʊbəl/, BrE /ˈmoʊbaɪl/ | a. | Although most animals are mobile, the sponge is sessile. | |
| /moʊˈbiːl/ | pn. | A city in Alabama | |
| moped | /ˈmoʊpɛd/ | n. | a small motorcycle |
| /ˈmoʊpt/ | v. | past tense of mope | |
| mow | /ˈmaʊ/ | n. | a stack of hay, or the part of a barn where hay is stored |
| /ˈmoʊ/ | v. | To cut something (especially grass or crops) down or knock down | |
| multiply | /ˈmʌltɨplaɪ/ | v. | to increase |
| /ˈmʌltɨpli/ | adv. | in multiple ways | |
| number | /ˈnʌmbər/ | n. | a numeral |
| /ˈnʌmər/ | adj. | more numb | |
| object | /ˈɒbdʒɨkt/ | n. | a thing |
| /əbˈdʒɛkt/ | v. | to protest | |
| overall | /oʊvərˈɔːl/ | a. | Overall, we didn't do too badly. |
| /ˈoʊvər.ɔːl/ | n. | I need new overalls. | |
| periodic | /pɪəriˈɒdɪk/ | a. | Temperature shows periodic variation. |
| /pɜrˈaɪ.ɒdɪk/ | a. | Periodic acid is an oxoacid of iodine. | |
| polish | /ˈpɒlɨʃ/ | v. | to shine |
| /ˈpoʊlɨʃ/ | adj. | of, from, or native to Poland | |
| present | /prɨˈzɛnt/ | v. | to reveal |
| /ˈprɛzənt/ | n. | a gift | |
| /ˈprɛzənt/ | n. | the current moment (e.g. At present) | |
| /ˈprɛzənt/ | adj. | existing in the immediate vicinity (e.g. Santa is present.) | |
| primer | /ˈprɪmər/ | n. | Book that covers the basic elements of a subject |
| /ˈpraɪmər/ | n. | An undercoat of paint | |
| produce | /prɵˈdjuːs/ | v. | to make |
| /ˈproʊdjuːs/ | n. | fruit and vegetables | |
| project | /ˈprɒdʒɨkt/ | n. | an undertaking |
| /prɵˈdʒɛkt/ | v. | to cast an image | |
| putting | /ˈpʊtɪŋ/ | v. | pr. part. of to put |
| /ˈpʌtɪŋ/ | v. | pr. part. of to putt | |
| ragged | /ˈræɡd/ | v. | She ragged on me about my ragged jeans. |
| /ˈræɡɨd/ | a. | But my ragged jeans are my trademark, I responded. | |
| read | /ˈriːd/ | v. | present tense |
| /ˈrɛd/ | v. | past tense | |
| rebel | /rɨˈbɛl/ | v. | to resist |
| /ˈrɛbəl/ | n. | one who rebels | |
| record | /ˈrɛkərd/ | n. | physical information |
| /rɨˈkɔrd/ | v. | to make a record | |
| refuse | /ˈrɛfjuːs/ | n. | garbage |
| /rɨˈfjuːz/ | v. | to decline | |
| resign | /rɨˈzaɪn/ | v. | to quit |
| /riːˈsaɪn/ | v. | to sign again; re-sign | |
| resume | /rɨˈzjuːm/ | v. | to start again |
| /ˈrɛzjʉmeɪ/ | n. | curriculum vitae (sometimes distinguished with acute accents; résumé) | |
| root | /ˈruːt/ or /ˈrʊt/) | n. | The tree's root was rotted. |
| /ˈruːt/ | v. | A pig can be trained to root for mushrooms. | |
| row | /ˈroʊ/ | n.; v. | a line; to paddle a boat |
| /ˈraʊ/ | n. | an argument | |
| sake | /ˈseɪk/ | n. | benefit |
| /ˈsɑːkiː/ | n. | rice wine | |
| separate | /ˈsɛprɨt/ | a. | This should be divided into packets of ten cartridges each, which should be rolled up in flannel and hermetically sealed in separate tin canisters. (Samuel W. Baker, The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia) |
| /ˈsɛpəreɪt/ | v. | To stalk these wary antelopes I was obliged to separate from my party, who continued on their direct route. (Samuel W. Baker, The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia) | |
| sewer | /ˈsjuː.ər/ | n. | drainage pipes |
| /ˈsoʊ.ər/ | n. | one who sews | |
| shower | /ˈʃaʊ.ər/ | n. | precipitation |
| /ˈʃoʊ.ər/ | n. | one who shows | |
| sin | /ˈsɪn/ | n. | a moral error |
| /ˈsaɪn/ | n. | abbrev. for sine | |
| /ˈsiːn/ | n. | Sumerian god of the moon | |
| sow | /ˈsoʊ/ | v. | to plant seeds |
| /ˈsaʊ/ | n. | a mature female in the swine species | |
| subject | /ˈsʌbdʒɨkt/ | n. | a topic |
| /səbˈdʒɛkt/ | v. | to cause to undergo | |
| supposed | /sʌˈpoʊzid/ | adj. | being assumed to be |
| /sʌˈpoʊsd/ | v. | obliged to do | |
| /sʌˈpoʊzd/ | v. | past sense of suppose | |
| tear | /ˈtɪər/ | n. | liquid produced by crying |
| /ˈtɛər/ | v. | to separate | |
| tier | /ˈtɪər/ | n. | Our seats are in the third tier of the stadium. |
| /ˈtaɪ.ər/ | n. | Will the tier be around to make these knots? | |
| use | /ˈjuːs/ | n. | function, benefit |
| /ˈjuːz/ | v. | employ, utilize | |
| unionized | /ˈjʉnjənaɪzd/ | adj. | formed into a union |
| /.ʌnˈaɪənaɪzd/ | adj. | not ionized | |
| whoop | /ˈhwʊp/ | v. | Pa says he's gonna whoop you good if you don't learn some manners! |
| /ˈhwuːp/ | v. | When they scored a goal, he began to whoop and holler. | |
| wicked | /ˈwɪkɨd/ | adj. | bad, evil |
| /ˈwɪkt/ | v. | past tense of wick (e.g. to wick away some liquid) | |
| wind | /ˈwɪnd/ | n. | air movement |
| /ˈwaɪnd/ | v. | to tighten a spring | |
| wound | /ˈwaʊnd/ | v. | past tense of wind |
| /ˈwuːnd/ | n. | an injury |
Heteronym (linguistics)
A heteronym (also known as a heterophone) is a word that is written identically but has a different pronunciation and meaning. In other words, they are homographs that are not homophones.
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