Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Heteronyms

Most folks don't know the term heteronym, but they are baffled by them nevertheless. Heteronyms are words that have identical spellings (homographs), but have different meanings and pronunciations.

For example, a person who sews is a sewer. Underground pipes that carry off waste are called sewers.

Usually the context solves the problem, but it just doesn't seem right that sewer and sewer can be complely different words! I wish I knew someone to complain to about this!

coop: The neighborhood coop met in a renovated chicken coop.
sow: The farmer fed the sow and left to sow his field.
bow: The archer left his bow in the bow of the ship.

Here are some other hetronyms. It might take a few seconds to recognize the varying pronunciations/definitions:

wind appropriate buffet content contest does drawer
entrance intimate number recount refuse resent wound
taxes alternate perfect separate convert permit rebel

Can you think of others?

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