Definition of Heteronyms (with examples)
Meaning
Heteronyms: Words that are spelled the same but that differ in pronunciation and meaning. Example:combine (to merge or unite) and combine (an agricultural threshing machine)
Examples
The following is a list of some common heteronyms and their pronunciations.
Attribute: ah-trib-BUTE and a-TRIB-ute
Basil: bay-sil and bah-zil
Bass: b-ace and b-ass
Bow: b-oh and b-ow
Content: CON-tent and cun-TENT
Contest: CON-test and cun-test
Contract: CON-tract and CUN-tract
Desert: DEZ-urt and DE-zurt
Deliberate: dee-LIB-raht and DEE-liber-ATE
Does: doh-zz and duh-zz
Dove: duh-v and doh-v
Excuse: EX-you-ss and ex-KEW-z
Incense: IN-sense and in-SENSE
Invalid: INVA-lid and in-VAL-id
Intimate: in-ta-mat and inta-MATE
Lather: LAH-ther and LAY-ther
Lead: leed and lead
Minute: min-UH-t and MY-newt
Moderate: MOD-erate and mod-ER-AH-t
Object: OB-ject and ob-JECK
Perfect: Per-FECT and PUR-fect
Permit: PUR-mit and per-MITT
Present: pre-zent and prez-ent
Primer: PRY-mer and PREE-me-air
Produce: PRO-duce and Pro-DUCE
Project: PRO-jeckt and PRAH-jeckt
Rebel: reh-BELL and REB-ill
Record: re-CORD and RECK-ord
Recreation: RECK-ree-a-shun and REE-cre-a-shun
Refuse: re-FUSE and REF-yoos
Reside: ree-ZIDE and RE-side
Resume: ree-zoom and REZ-oo-may
Row: r-oh and r-ow
Secreted: suh-CREET-ed and SEEK-rhet-ed
Separate: sep-er-ATE and SEP-rhet
Sewer: s-oh-er and s-ew-er
Sow: s-oh and s-ow
Subject: SUB-jekt and sub-JEKT
Tear: t-air and t-ear
Wind: win-d and why-n-d
Wound: woo-nd and wow-nd
Learn more ...
I hope this has been of use to you. You can also learn about:
- Homonyms (Words that same sound and often have the same spelling, but different meanings.)
- Homographs (Words spelled alike but different in meaning.)
- Homophones (Words pronounced the same but are different in spelling and meaning.)
© 2011 Rosa Marchisella
Comments
AUTHOR*nods at Flora* My fav is when folk pronounce the herb "Baaaah-zil" like the name. "Ah yes, I see you like to name your plant-life, too" :-D
Yes, this is the group that gives me fits with spelling when I do have trouble. Especially with typing. I never remember how to pronouce Basil as a name-the only one I've heard of us is Basil Rathbone and I find myself automatically pronoucing his name like the herb.
- AUTHOR
Excellent. Mission accomplished :-)
Yes, the series on proper word usage and vocabulary is very informative. But I must come back again to further grasp the inner meanings.
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