List of Common Heteronyms

Here's a list of common heteronyms — words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings. These are great for advanced English practice, especially for pronunciation and vocabulary:

✅ List of Common Heteronyms

Word Pronunciation 1 (Meaning) Pronunciation 2 (Meaning)
Bass /bæs/ – a type of fish /beɪs/ – low sound in music
Lead /liːd/ – to guide /lɛd/ – a type of metal
Tear /tɛr/ – drop from the eye /tɛər/ – to rip
Wind /wɪnd/ – moving air /waɪnd/ – to twist or turn
Row /roʊ/ – a line of things /raʊ/ – a fight or argument
Bow /boʊ/ – front of a ship / to bend /baʊ/ – a weapon for shooting arrows
Live /lɪv/ – to be alive /laɪv/ – happening now; broadcast
Close /kloʊz/ – to shut /kloʊs/ – near
Read /riːd/ – present tense /rɛd/ – past tense of "read"
Minute /ˈmɪnɪt/ – a unit of time /maɪˈnjuːt/ – very small
Wound /wuːnd/ – past tense of "wind" /waʊnd/ – an injury
Does /dʌz/ – third person of "do" /doʊz/ – plural of "doe" (female deer)
Sow /soʊ/ – to plant seeds /saʊ/ – a female pig
Object /ˈɑːbdʒɛkt/ – a thing /əbˈdʒɛkt/ – to oppose
Invalid /ˈɪnvəlɪd/ – a sick person /ɪnˈvælɪd/ – not valid
Desert /ˈdɛzərt/ – dry place /dɪˈzɜːrt/ – to abandon
Present /ˈprɛzənt/ – a gift /prɪˈzɛnt/ – to show or introduce
Refuse /ˈrɛfjuz/ – to decline /ˈrɛfjuːs/ – garbage
Polish /ˈpɑːlɪʃ/ – to shine /ˈpoʊlɪʃ/ – from Poland


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