I'm looking for some English words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciation .....?

Question

... depending on their meaning or context. I don't want words that are simply pronounced differently in different English-speaking countries; I want words that are genuinely different but, coincidentally, have the same spelling.

Answer 1

Why did you subject us to this subject?! I hope you're content with this content.

"Tear" is a good one, too. Here's about 75 more. They're known as heteronyms.

Affect ehFEKT- to change; AFFekt- a person's feelings or emotion (1)

Alternate ALternit- the next choice; ALternait- switch back and forth (9)

Are AHR- plural present tense of "to be"; AIR- 100 square meters (1/100th of a hectare) [although may also be pronounced AHR] (15)

Ares AIRS- 100 square meter units [plural]; AIReez- Greek god of war [capitalized] (15)

Attribute ahTRIByoot- to consider resulting from; AHtribyoot- a characteristic of someone (12)

August AUgust- month [capitalized]; auGUST- important, eminent (9)

Axes AKsiz- more than one ax or axe; AKseez- the plural of axis (13)

Bass BASE- a string instrument; (rhymes with mass)- a fish (1)

Bow BAU- to lower one's head or the front of a ship; BOH- used to shoot arrows (7)

Bowed BAU-d- to bend over; BOH-d- bent (12)

Buffet BUFFet- to pound or bump; booFAY- place where you serve yourself (9)

Close CLOZE- to shut; CLOS- near (9)

Combine komBYNE- put together; KOMbyne- a threshing machine (1)

Conduct KONduckt- behavior; kunDUCKT- to lead (see this heteronym below) (12)

Conflict kunFLIKT- to act against; KAHNflict- a fight or disagreement (1)

Console KAHNsole- an upright case; kunSOLE- to comfort (2)

Content KAHNtent- meaning; kunTENT- satisfied (1)

Contest kunTEST- to argue; KAHNtest- a match of skill (1)

Contract CONtract- an agreement; conTRACT- to shrink or to agree on a project (2)

Convert conVERT- to change one's belief; CONvert- one whose belief was changed (11)

Converse KAHNvers- the opposite; kunVERS- to talk (1c)

Convict kunVIKT- to find guilty; KAHNvikt- a prisoner (1)

Crooked KROOKt- to bend your neck; KROOK-ed- having a curve (3)

Deliberate diLIBerit- carefully considered; diLIBerATE- to consider (12)

Desert dihZURT- to leave ; DEZert- arid region (18, and below)

Digest DYEjest- collection of published material; dieJEST- absorb nutrients (6)

Do DOO- to accomplish; DOE- a musical note (1)

Does DUZ- performs; DOZE- more than one female deer (1)

Dove DUV- a bird; DOEV- jumped off (1)

Drawer DROR- the compartment you pull out from the dresser; DRAWer- one who draws (1j)

Excuse EKskyooz- to let someone off; EKskyoos- a reason or explanation (17)

House HAUS- a building that serves as living quarters; HOWZ- to provide with living quarters (10)

Incense INsens- burnt aromatic; inSENS- to make angry (9)

Intern INtern- a physician in training; inTERN- confine to prescribed area (14)

Invalid inVALLid- not valid; INvallid- an ill person (1)

Laminate LAMinate- to construct by adding layers; LAMinit [although both pronunciations are listed]- the cover itself (1)

Lather (rhymes with rather)- foam or suds; (rhymes with bath fur)- a worker who installs lath (lattice work) (15)

Lead LEED- to guide; LED- a metallic element (1)

Minute MINNit- 60 seconds; myNOOT- tiny (1)

Moderate MODerit- keeping within reason; MODerATE- to preside over (1)

Mow MOH- to cut grass; MAU- a pile of hay (17)

Multiply MULLtihPLIE- multiply two numbers; MULLtihplee- in a multiple manner (15)

Number NUMber- one, two, three …; NUMMER- more numb [many dictionaries do not list this use, which suggests that "more numb" is preferred; however, the listed use is given in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition, Electronic version.] (18)

Nun NUN- women in religious order; NOON- 14th letter in Hebrew alphabet (9)

Object ubJEKT- to complain; AHBjekt- a thing (1c)

Pasty PAstee- like glue; PASStee- a meat pie (1)

Pate PAIT- a bald head; paTAY- a minced food; PAHT- a porcelain paste [diacritics in pâté and pâte don't count!](1)

Perfect PERfekt- exactly correct; perFEKT- to make correct (17)

Periodic PEEReeODDik- occasional; PUREeyeODDik- an iodine compound (15)

Permit perMIT- to allow some event to occur; PERmit [although both pronunciations are listed]- a document giving permission (8)

Polish POElish- from Poland; PAHLish- shine [capitalization doesn't count!](4)

Present PREZent- a gift; preeSENT- to give a talk (9)

Primer PRIHMer- an elementary book; PRYmer- the preparatory coat of paint (1c, 12)

Produce PROdoos- vegetables; proDOOS- bring forth (1)

Project proJEKT- to show a movie; PRAHjekt- a task (1)

Pussy PUHSee- having pus; POOHSee; a kitten (18)

Raven RAYven- black bird; RAVen- hungry (9)

Rebel REBBell- a resister; rihBELL- to resist (2)

Record RECKord- a list; reKORD- to write down (1)

Recreation rek-ree-Ashun- pastime; REEcreeAshun- remake (also, recreate) (12)

Refuse reFUSE- to deny; REFFyoos- garbage (1)

Relay reeLAY- to put it down again, such as a carpet; REElay- a race by teams; rihLAY- to pass along, such as information [One of our dictionaries gives these pronunciations, but does not distinguish meanings among the latter two. The pronunciation may vary among individuals.] (12)

Rerun reRUN- to race again or to repeat a show on television; RErun- a repeated TV show (12)

Reside: reZIDE- to stay put; RE-SYD- [Slang] to change places (change teams) [usu. hyphenated as re-side] (20) [N.B.: This is also a antagonym!] {X}

Resign reZYN- to quit; reSYN- to sign again (e.g., a contract) [usu. hyphenated as re-sign] (20) [N.B.: This word is also an antagonym!]

Resume reeZOOM- to restart; REHZoomay- a document of experience [also résumé; diacritics don't count!] (1)

Row ROH- a line; ROUW- a fight (1)

Sake SAHkey- alcoholic drink; SAYK- a purpose (5)

Secrete seeKREET- to discharge; sehKRET- an armored skullcap [secrète, diacritics don't count!]

Secreted seeKREETed- having put out; SEEkrehted- placed out of sight (9) [N.B.: This word is also an antagonym!]

Separate SEPerATE- to divide into groups; SEPret- not joined together (17)

Sewer SOwer- one who sews; SOOwer- place for human waste (9)

Slough SLUFF- the outer layer of skin of a snake; [rhymes with OW!]- a hole of deep mud or mire; SLOO- a marshy pond (19)

Sow SOUW- a pig; SO- to plant seed (1)

Subject SUBjekt- the theme; subJEKT- to force upon someone (12)

Tear TARE- to rip; TEER- fluid in eye (1)

Wind WHINEd- to coil up; WINd- the blowing air (1)

Wound WOOND- to injure; WOWND- coiled up (1)

Answer 2

Some of these are spelled the same, have the same pronunciation & mean different things. BUT, I included them with what you are looking for for fun. I got htis from a friend...

1) The bandage was wound around the wound.

2) The farm was used to produce produce.

3) The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.

4) We must polish the Polish furniture.

5) He could lead if he would get the lead out.

6) The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.

7) Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time
to present the present.

8) At the Army base, a bass was painted on the head of a bass drum.

9) When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.

10) I did not object to the object.

11) The insurance was invalid for the invalid.

12) There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.

13) They were too close to the door to close it.

14) The buck does funny things when the does are present.

15) A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.

16) To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.

17) The wind was too strong to wind the sail.

18) After a number of Novocain injections, my jaw got number.

19) Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.

20) I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.

21) How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

22) I spent last evening evening out a pile of dirt.

Answer 3

How about BOW as a word, but with many different meanings, you can take a bow as an actor, you can shoot a bow and arrow, you can be in the bow of a ship, or wear a bow tie or tie one in a ribbon, confusing ! (especially when you get bough of a tree)

Answer 4

Some great lists above. As a chemist, I'll add just one:

The unionized plant workers manufactured the unionized compound.

Answer 5

The dove dove into the bushes.

Answer 6

What about "read" and it's past tense, "read"? Or the verb, "lead" and the noun (as in heavy as) "lead"?

Answer 7

if you tear your pants will you shed a tear