Heteronym (linguistics)

Euler diagram showing the relationships between heteronyms and related linguistic concepts.

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. Thus, row (propel with oars) and row (argument) are heteronyms, but mean (intend) and mean (average) are not (since they are pronounced the same). Heteronym pronunciation may vary in vowel realisation, in stress pattern (see also Initial-stress-derived noun), or in other ways:

1. The weather was beginning to affect his affect.
2. A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
3. They were too close to the door to close it.
4. Don't desert me here in the desert!
5. Do you know what a buck does to does?
6. When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
7. How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
8. The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
9. He could lead if he would get the lead out.
10. After a number of injections my jaw got number.
11. I did not object to the object.
12. We must polish the Polish furniture.
13. He thought it was time to present the present.
14. The farm was used to produce produce.
15. The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
16. There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
17. I seconded the motion that the official be seconded to another department.
18. A seamstress and a sewer fell down into the sewer.
19. To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
20. I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
21. Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
22. The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
23. The bandage was wound around the wound.
24. I was reading a book in Reading, Berkshire.
25. I met an august man last August.

Most heteronyms are doubles. Triple heteronyms are extremely rare; two examples, sin and mobile, are listed below. Proper nouns can sometimes be heteronyms. For example, the final syllable of Oregon is pronounced like the word in by residents of that state in the United States, while in the name of the village of Oregon in Wisconsin, the final syllable is pronounced like the word on. Other examples include local pronunciations of Cairo, GA, Versailles, KY, and Milan, TN. There are also pairs which include both initialisms and regular words, e.g., US and us.

Heteronyms can also occur in non-alphabetic languages. For example, the Chinese character 行 can be pronounced háng, meaning "profession", or xíng, meaning "OK".

"Heterophone" literally just means "different sound", and this term is sometimes applied to words that are just pronounced differently, irrespective of their spelling. Such a definition would obviously include virtually every pair of words in the language, so "heterophone" in this sense is normally restricted to instances where there is some particular reason to highlight the different sound. For example, puns normally involve homophones, but in the case of heterophonic (or imperfect) puns, the two words sound different, and yet similar enough for one to suggest the other (for example, mouth and mouse).

Further examples

For a longer list, see Wiktionary:Category:English heteronyms.

Examples of heteronyms in English

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
	/ˈædvəkᵻt/	n.	a person who speaks in support of something
affect	/əˈfɛkt/	v.	to have an effect on
	/ˈæfɛkt/	n.	mood, emotional state
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	/ˈɔːltərnət/	adj.	other
	/ˈɔːltərneɪt/	v.	to take turns
analyses	/əˈnælɪsiːz/	n.	plural of analysis
	/ˈænəlaɪzəz/	v.	third person singular present of analyse
appropriate	/əˈproʊpriət/	adj.	suitable
	/əˈproʊprieɪt/	v.	to set apart for
attribute	/ˈætrᵻbjuːt/	n.	a characteristic
	/əˈtrɪbjuːt/	v.	to associate ownership
articulate	/ɑːrˈtɪkjəleɪt/	v.	The tourists are the ones who always try to articulate every syllable when they speak the language.
	/ɑːrˈtɪkjəlᵻt/	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
	/ˈæksᵻz/	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	/ˈbeɪsᵻz/	n.	plural of base
	/ˈbeɪsiːz/	n.	plural of basis
bass	/ˈbeɪs/	n.	low in pitch
	/ˈbæs/	n.	a fish
blessed	/ˈblɛsᵻd/	adj.	having divine aid
	/ˈblɛst/	v.	past tense of bless
bow	/ˈboʊ/	n.	a stringed weapon, or the initiator of sound in some stringed musical instruments.
	/ˈbaʊ/	v.	to bend in respect
		n.	the front of a boat or ship
buffet	/bəˈfeɪ/ ~ /ˈbʊfeɪ/	n.	sideboard meal
	/ˈbʌfᵻt/	v.	to strike
close	/ˈkloʊz/	v.	to shut
	/ˈkloʊs/	adj.	nearby
combine	/ˈkɒmbaɪn/	n.	A farm machine that harvests and threshes
	/kəmˈbaɪn/	v.	To bring two or more things together, mix
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/, /ˈkɒmplɛks/	adj.	Made up of multiple parts
compound	/ˈkɒmpaʊnd/	n.	A substance having definite proportions of elements
	/kəmˈpaʊnd/	v.	To make a situation worse
concert	/ˈkɒnsərt/	n.	We saw SLAYER in concert.
	/kənˈsɜːrt/	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	/ˈkɒntᵻnt/	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.
	/ˈkrʊkᵻd/	a.	Unfortunately, that just made the sleeve look crooked.
decrease	/dɪˈkriːs/	v.	To lessen
	/ˈdiːkriːs/	n.	A diminution
defense	/dɪˈfɛns/	n.	The attorney gave a strong defense.
	/ˈdiːˈfɛns/	n.	The coach put out his best defense. (dialectual, used in sports contexts)
desert	/ˈdɛzərt/	n.	an arid region
	/dᵻˈzɜːrt/	v.	to abandon
discard	/ˈdɪskɑːrd/	n.	Toss it in the discard pile.
	/dɪsˈkɑːrd/	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 - 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)
	/ˈdɒɡᵻd/	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	/ᵻˈlɪpsᵻz/	n.	Plural of ellipse
	/ᵻˈlɪpsiːz/	n.	Plural of ellipsis
entrance	/ˈɛntrəns/	n.	doorway
	/ɛnˈtræns/	v.	to delight
exploit	/ˈɛksplɔɪt/	n.	a heroic or extraordinary deed
	/ɛksˈplɔɪt/	v.	to make use of or take advantage of
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.
increase (The accentuation shown here is not strictly followed.)	/ɪn-ˈkriːs/	v.	To get greater
	/ˈɪn-kriːs/	n.	An augmentation
intimate	/ˈɪntᵻmeɪt/	v.	to suggest
	/ˈɪntᵻmət/	adj.	very close
invalid	/ɪnˈvælᵻd/	adj.	incorrect
	/ˈɪnvəlᵻd/	n.	a disabled person
laminate	/ˈlæmᵻneɪt/	v.	to assemble from thin sheets glued together
	/ˈlæmᵻnᵻt/	n.	material formed of thin sheets glued together
lead	/ˈliːd/	v.	to guide
	/ˈlɛd/	n.	a metal
learned	/ˈlɜːrnᵻd/	adj.	having much learning
	/ˈlɜːrnd/	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
merchandise	/ˈmɜːrtʃəndaɪs/	n.	goods available for sale
	/ˈmɜːrtʃəndaɪz/	v.	to make (something) available for sale
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	/ˈmʌltᵻplaɪ/	v.	to increase
	/ˈmʌltᵻpli/	adv.	in multiple ways
number	/ˈnʌmbər/	n.	a numeral
	/ˈnʌmər/	adj.	more numb
object	/ˈɒbdʒᵻkt/	n.	a thing
	/əbˈdʒɛkt/	v.	to protest
overall	/oʊvərˈɔːl/	a.	Overall, we didn't do too badly.
	/ˈoʊvərɔːl/	n.	I need new overalls.
periodic	/pɪəriˈɒdɪk/	a.	Temperature shows periodic variation.
	/pɜːrˈaɪɒdɪk/	a.	Periodic acid is an oxoacid of iodine.
polish	/ˈpɒlᵻʃ/	v.	to shine
	/ˈpoʊlᵻʃ/	adj.	of, from, or native to Poland
present	/prᵻˈzɛnt/	v.	to reveal
	/ˈprɛzənt/	n.	a gift
		n.	the current moment (e.g. At present)
		adj.	existing in the immediate vicinity (e.g. Santa is present.)
primer	AmE /ˈprɪmər/, BrE /ˈpraɪmər/	n.	Book that covers the basic elements of a subject
	/ˈpraɪmər/	n.	An undercoat of paint
proceeds	/ˈproʊsiːdz/	n.	Revenue
	/prəˈsiːdz/	v.	Third person singular of the verb "proceed"
produce	/proʊˈdjuːs/	v.	to make
	/ˈproʊdjuːs/	n.	fruit and vegetables
progress	/prəˈɡrɛs/	v.	I hope things will progress faster.
	/ˈprɑɡrɛs/	n.	I haven't made any progress.
project	/ˈprɒdʒᵻkt/	n.	an undertaking
	/proʊˈdʒɛkt/	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.
	/ˈræɡᵻd/	a.	But my ragged jeans are my trademark, I responded.
read	/ˈriːd/	v.	present tense
	/ˈrɛd/	v.	past tense
rebel	/rᵻˈbɛl/	v.	to resist
	/ˈrɛbəl/	n.	one who rebels
record	/ˈrɛkərd/	n.	physical information
	/rᵻˈkɔːrd/	v.	to make a record
refuse	/ˈrɛfjuːs/	n.	garbage
	/rᵻˈfjuːz/	v.	to decline
resign	/rᵻˈzaɪn/	v.	to quit
	/riːˈsaɪn/	v.	to sign again; re-sign
resume	/rᵻˈzjuːm/	v.	to start again
	/ˈrɛzjᵿmeɪ/	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
second	/ˈsɛkənd/	adj., n., v.	ordinal of "two", 1/60 of a minute, to endorse a motion
	/səˈkɒnd/	v.	to transfer temporarily to an alternative employment
separate	/ˈsɛprᵻt/	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	/ˈsjuːər/	n.	drainage pipes
	/ˈsoʊər/	n.	one who sews
shower	/ˈʃaʊ.ər/	n.	precipitation
	/ˈʃoʊər/	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	/ˈsʌbdʒᵻkt/	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?
transfer	/ˈtrænsfər/	n.	a movement of something from one place to another
	/trænsˈfɜːr/	v.	to move something from one place to another (the verb can be accented on either syllable)
use	/ˈjuːs/	n.	function, benefit
	/ˈjuːz/	v.	employ, utilize
unionized	/ˈjᵿnjənaɪzd/	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	/ˈwɪkᵻd/	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

External links

• List and analysis of English homographs/heteronyms by John Higgins
• The Home of the Heteronym, featuring There's a Sewer in the Sewer
• www.onetrickwords.com
• The Heteronym Page