Open Menu
 
Play Activities to learn English

Try mSpy Phone Tracker for Your Kid's Safety

Homographs (EnglishReaderJack)
Touch a word or the <play> button for sound
Click on a word or on the <play> button for sound
Click on a word or on the red <play> button for sound

Homographs are words that are spelt the same but prounounced different (and with a different meaning too). This lesson will give you example of lots of common homographs.

HTML clipboard

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- A bass was painted on the head of the 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 the planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
17- The wind was too strong to wind the sail.
18- Upon seeing the tear in the painting, I shed a tear.
19- I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
20- How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?

Notice that many times, when a word can be a verb or a noun, the verb is pronounced with the stress at the end and the noun or adjective with the stress at the beginning.  Consider also that when a syllable is not stressed, it usually weakens (and so pronounced /ə/ or /ɪ/ )

If it ends in -S, the verb is usually pronounced with /z/ and the noun (or adjective) with /s/. If it ends in -ATE, the verb is usually pronounced with /t/ and the adjective in /ɪt/ .

1
WOUND /waʊnd/ = past participle of the verb wind-wound-wound /waɪnd, waʊnd, waʊnd/: to wrap (something) around a centre or another object once or repeatedly
WIND  /wɪnd/ is the noun (moving air) or the verb "to wind" /wɪnd/ (to ventilate or dry in the air) wind-winded-winded. (see #17)
WOUND /wu:nd/ as a noun, it is an injury, especially one in which the skin or another external surface is torn, pierced, cut, or otherwise broken.

2
PRODUCE
/prədju:s/ (verb) to grow plants; to manufacture things; to create something.
/prɒdju:s/ (noun) farm products, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, considered as a group.

3
REFUSE
/rɪfju:z/ (verb) reject.
/refju:s/ (noun) things nobody wants, waste, litter.
dump= a place for throwing away waste and litter. The verb "to dump" is to get rid of something by throwing it away.

4
POLISH
Polish (with capital letter) adjective: from Poland. It is can also be a noun: the language spoken in Poland.
polish (with small letter) verb: to make smooth and shiny by rubbing or chemical action.

5
LEAD
/li:d/ (verb) to guide.
/led/ (noun) a soft, grey, heavy metal (symbol: Pb). The expression "to get the lead out" means "to move faster" (lead is very heavy so if you carry lead you move slowly).

6
DESERT /dɪzɜ:*t/ (verb) abandon, leave.
DESSERT /dezə*t/ (noun) fruit or something sweet that you eat at the end of a big meal.  (with double S)
DESERT /dezə*t/ (noun) an big area very dry, with no rain and no vegetation (or almost no vegetation), such as the Sahara desert.

7
PRESENT
/prezənt/ (noun) this moment, present time.
/prɪzent/ (verb) to make a gift.
/prezənt/ (noun) a gift.

8
BASS
/bæs/ a kind of fish.
/beɪs/ a musical instrument.

9
DOVE
/dʌv/ (noun) a kind of bird (white doves are the symbol of peace)
/dəʊv/ (verb) dive-dove-dove: to plunge, to fall head down through the air.

10

OBJECT
/ɒbdʒekt/ (verb) to oppose.
/ɒbdʒekt/
(noun) purpose, goal.

11
INVALID
/ɪnvælɪd/ (adjective) no good, useless.
/ɪnvəlɪd/ (noun) one who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or disability.

12
ROW
/raʊ/ (noun) quarrel, verbal fight.
/rəʊ/ (verb) to propel a boat using oars.  
We also have another "row" /rəʊ/ which is a line, a series of objects placed next to each other, usually in a straight line. And "to row" /rəʊ/ is to place objects into a row.

13

CLOSE
/kləʊs/ (adjective) near.
/kləʊz/ (verb) the opposite of "to open".

 14
DOES
/dʌz/ (verb) 3rd person singular of the verb "to do".
/dəʊz/ (noun) plural of doe: a femail deer (a buck is a male deer).
  
15
SEWER
/səʊə*/ a person who sews. To sew  /səʊ/ is to join pieces of cloth together with a thread using a needle.
/sjʊə*/ a waste pipe that carries away (underground) sewage or surface water.

16
SOW
/səʊ/ (verb) to plant, to put seeds into the ground.
/saʊ/ (noun) a female pig.

17
WIND (see #1)
/wɪnd/ (noun) moving air.
/waɪnd/ (verb) wind-wound-wound /waɪnd, waʊnd, waʊnd/: to wrap (something) around a centre or another object once or repeatedly. To wind the sail of a ship is to put it around the mast, rather than open to the wind. The verb to wind /wɪnd/ means to ventilate or dry in the air (wind-winded-winded).

18
TEAR
/teə/ (from the verb "to tear"= to break) a tear is a violent cut in a cloth.
/tɪə/ a tear is a drop of liquid produced in your eyes.

19
SUBJECT
/səbdʒekt/ (verb) submit to consideration.
/sʌbdʒɪkt/ (noun) a matter for discussion, a topic.

20
INTIMATE
/ɪntɪmt/ (verb) to make (something) known in an indirect way.
/ɪntɪmɪt/ (adjective) an intimate friend is a close friend (one that you love and trust very much)


2:59            
 
 

<your ad here>

© Angel Castaño 2008 Salamanca / Poole - free videos to learn real English online || InfoPrivacyTerms of useContactAbout
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read more