heteronyms

Heteronyms are words that are spelled identically but have different pronunciations and meanings. They are a subset of heterographs, which share spelling with other words, but heteronyms specifically require that the pronunciation changes with meaning. The phenomenon is common in English due to historical sound changes and borrowings, and it can create ambiguity for readers and learners.

Common examples include lead (to guide) pronounced /liːd/ versus lead (the metal) pronounced /lɛd/; wind (air movement) /wɪnd/ versus wind (to coil or turn) /waɪnd/; bass (low-frequency sound) /beɪs/ versus bass (a type of fish) /bæs/; read (present tense) /riːd/ versus read (past tense) /rɛd/; tear (to rip) /tɛər/ versus tear (from the eye) /tiːər/; row (a line) /roʊ/ versus row (a quarrel) /raʊ/. Some heteronyms involve a shift in stress when the part of speech changes, as with conduct (to lead) /kənˈdʌkt/ versus conduct (behavior) /ˈkɒndʌkt/. The exact pronunciation is determined by context and intended meaning, and dictionaries typically list both pronunciations.

Heteronyms can pose challenges for learners, especially when encountering unfamiliar texts or rapid reading. Recognizing them often relies on syntax and semantics, with dictionaries providing authoritative pronunciations and senses.