HOMONYMS by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com)

 

Firstly, in order to avoid confusion, I'll define homonyms (from the Greek "having the same name") as words with the same spelling but different meaning (the pronunciation may be the same or different), and homophones (from the Greek "having the same voice/utterance") as words with the same pronunciation but different spelling.

 

* = The noun is stressed on the first syllable, the verb or adjective on the second

 

Note that nouns have plural forms (which may be regular or irregular) and verbs have continuous, past, and past participle forms (which may also be irregular)

 

The letters in red between slashes ( / / ) represent the pronunciation of the word according to Viv's phonetic script. The stressed syllable is in bold.

 

abuse (N) /UH BYUWS/ (V) /UH BYOOZ/

abuses  (N) /UH BYUW SIZ/ (V) /UH BYOO ZIZ/

address (N) where you live (V) talk to someone formally

advert* (N) advertisement (V) warn

aggregate (ADJ) totalizing (V) add

alternate**(V) go from one to another (ADJ) different          

analyses (N) pl. 'analysis' /UH NAL UH SEEEZ/ (V) 3rd person of 'analyse' /AN UH LAI ZIZ/

annex (N) building or room added later (V) take control of arbitrarily

annexes (see above)

appropriate (ADJ) fitting (V) take for oneself

approximate (ADJ) near (V) get closer

articulate (ADJ well-spoken (V) organise

associate (N) member of a select group (V) join a group

attribute* (N) feature (V) associate meaning or reason

axe (N) wood cutting tool (V) cut expenditure or services

 

bar (N) (counter in) a pub (V+N) (put) metal rods, prohibit entry

base (V+N) foundation, (N) (military) headquarters

be - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

beat (N) A policeman's route (V) win against, mix ingredients with a whisk

bear (V) support pressure or weight (N) large carnivorous mammal common in the USA

bow (N) 1. old weapon shooting arrows, 2. knot tied in a ribbon /BOW/ 3. The front of a boat /BAU/ (V+N) move the head or torso down in reverence /BAU/

bowed (see above)

bowing  (see above)

bows  (see above)

break (N) rest period (V+N) partly destroy

bring - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

buffet (N) 'serve yourself' meal /BU FAY/ (V) hit as with gusts of wind /BU FIT/

 

clear  (ADJ) 1. without impediment 2. easy to understand (V) remove unnecessary obstructions

close (ADJ) near /KLOWS/ (V) shut /KLOWZ/

come - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

commune* (N) group of people who reject society (V) communicate

compliment (V+N) say something nice about someone (V) add additional value

compound* (N) mixture (V) make worse

compress* (N) bandage (V) flatten

conduct* (N) behaviour (V) lead

console*  (N) electronic control board (V) try to comfort someone

consort* (N) girlfriend or boyfriend of a king or queen (V) mix with a group of (bad) people

content*  (N) what's inside     (ADJ) happy

contract* (V+N) written promise of action (V) get smaller

contracts* (V+N)  (see above)

convert* (N) someone joining a religion (V) change from one form to another

cool (ADJ) 1. pleasantly cold, 2. fashionable or trendy

coordinate (N) location on a map /KOW OR DI NUT/ (V) jointly organise /KOW OR DIN AYT/

coordinates (V+N)  (see above)

count (N) noble title (V+N) total

court (N) 1. judicial tribunal, 2. area with a net for sports (tennis) (V) try to win sb's heart (Old English)

 

default*  (Adj) win by default (V) not pay money owed

defect* (N) something wrong (V) change sides in a dispute

degenerate (ADJ) immoral (V) become bad

delegate (N) person representing an organisation (V) transfer responsibility for sth.

deliberate (ADJ) on purpose /DI LI BRUT/ (V) think about sth /DI LI BUH RAIT/

desert* (N) arid land (V) abandon

desolate (ADJ) without hope, an area of land with no life

do - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

diffuse (ADJ) spread over a wide area /DI FYUWS/ (V) make a bomb safe /DI FYOOZ/

digest* (N) a book of short stories (V) transform food into energy in the stomach

discharge* (N) the sound of a gun (V) Remove a person from their job

discount* (N) reduction in price (V) not consider as a possibility

display (N) representation of electronic monitoring  (V+N) show

 

elaborate (ADJ) complicated (V) create a plan

engaged (ADJ) promised to marry, involved

entrance (V+N) way in (V) hypnotise (stress on the second syllable)

excuse (N) /EKS KYOOS/, (V) /EKS KYOOZ/

exploit* (N) famous thing sb has done (V) take advantage of sb

exploits* (see above)

extract* (N) part of a text,  (V+N) remove sth, liquid removed by extraction,

 

fair (N) amusement park or trade show (ADJ) 1. giving justice, 2. light coloured hair or skin

frequent * (ADJ) often (V) go to regularly

fly (N) insect (V) move through the air, move quickly

 

get - (V) buy, receive, catch, become + see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

go - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

give  - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

grave (N) place where someone is buried (ADJ) serious

ground (N) earth or floor (V&ADJ) past of 'grind', powdered

 

have - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

high (ADJ) at altitude, under the influence of drugs (slang)

house (N) place to live /HOWS/ (V) provide a place to live /HOWZ/

 

implement (N) tool (V) put into practice

impress (V) surprise, print using pressure

incense*  (N) fragrant wood (V) make angry

inclined   (ADJ) steep rise (ADJ) willing

interchange (N) motorway junction (V) swap

invalid*   (N) ill person (ADJ) Not acceptable

invite* (V+N = informal for 'invitation')

 

land (N) area (V) come down to the ground

lead (N+ADJ) malleable metal /LED/     (V) go ahead /LEED/

learned (V) past of learn (USA) /LERND/              (ADJ) wise /LER NID/

live (ADJ) happening at the time /LAIV/               (V) inhabit /LIV/

lives (N) plural of 'life' /LAIVZ/             (V) third person of 'live' /LIVZ/

look (V+N) - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

 

march/March (V+N) walk in military step (N) month after February

make - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

mean (ADJ) cruel, not generous (V) significance

move (V+N) travel, change to a different house

movement (N) change in position, political group, part of a symphony

minute (N) 60 seconds /MI NIT/ (ADJ) tiny /MAI NYOOT/

minutes (N) see above (N) written record of a meeting

misread (V) present = /MIS REED/ past = /MIS RED/

miss (N) title for an unmarried woman (V) be too late for a bus etc, long for sth you can't have

missed (see above)

misuse (N) /MIS YUWS/ (V) /MIS YOOZ/

moderate (ADJ) average /MOD RUHT/ (V) change carefully /MOD UH RAYT/

 

number    (N)1,2, 3  (COMP) More numb

nurse (N) health worker (V) treat gently

 

object*    (N) thing (V) disagree with

offence* (N) rudeness /O FENS/, attack /O FENS/ (USA)

order (N) an ancient society (V+N) command

overflow (V+N) spill (N) excess

overhang* (N) rocky outcrop (V) protrude above

overhaul* (V+N) careful(ly) check (V) overtake

overlook  (V) 1. fail to see, 2. positioned above

 

peer (N) lord (V) look at with difficulty

permit* (V+N) (document) giving permission

permits* (see above)

polish/Polish           (V+N) make metal or wood shine /PO LISH/ (ADJ) from Poland /POW LISH/

present*   (ADJ) here              (N) gift    (N) now                  (V) give

proceeds*(N) money gained (V) go forward

produce*  (N) Agricultural production  (V) show

point (N) sharp tip, reason (V) indicate with the fingers

project* (N) Special task (V) push forwards

prospect* (N) future situation  (V) look for precious metals

prospects* (see above)

put (V) 1. collocate /PUWT/, 2. hit a golf ball into the hole /PUT/ + lots of phrasal verbs

putting (see above)

 

quarry (V+N) (place to) extract rock       (N) prey

quite  (ADV) stressed = more or less /KWAIT GOOD/, unstressed = surprisingly /KWAIT GOOD/

 

read (V) present form /REED/, past and past participle /RED/

recall* (N) request return to manufacturer (V) remember

recess (N) 1. small room or cupboard in a wall, 2. official holiday break

record* (N) best in the world, gramophone disk (UK)            (V) media copy

recount* (V+N) 1. count again, 2. tell a story

recover (V) find, get well again

recovered (see above)

recovering (see above)

reform (V+N) political change (V) appear again

refuse* (N) rubbish /REF YUWS/ (v)say no /RE FYOOZ/

relay* (N) team athletics race (V) 1. transmit 2. apply another layer

remark (V+N) say, (V) correct a test/composition again

remarked (see above)

reserve (N) quantity of natural resources, wildlife protection area, seriousness (V) book a place

reserved (see above)

resign (V) leave your job, sign sth again.

resigned (see above)

resolve (N) determination (V+N) answer a problem,

resort (N) holiday destination, "last resort" = final option (V) use

resume (N) CV in US English /RE ZOO MAY/ (V) start again /RI ZYOOM/

rose (N) flower (V) past of 'rise'

routed (V) given a specific path /ROO TID/, totally defeated /RAU TID/

row(N) line facing sideways /ROW/, emotional argument /RAU/ (V) move a boat with oars /ROW/

rowed (see above)

rowing (see above)

rows (see above)

 

sake (N) benefit /SAYK/ eg. Not for my sake, Japanese drink /SAR KEE/

saw (V+N) (tool used (to cut wood), (V) past of 'see'

seal (N) marine mammal (V+N) prevent air or water from entering

second* (N) period of time, short time, ordinal number (V) transfer sb to a different company

separate (ADJ) in different locations /SEP RUT/    (V) pull apart /SE PUH RAIT/

service (N) church session, paid help (V+N) programmed car maintenance

sense (V+N) bodily perception, intelligence

set (N) division of tennis & volleyball, ready (V) become firm, ready + phrasal verbs

shower (N) short period of rain (V+N) wash under a stream of water

show (N) entertainment or arts show (V) reveal

sow (N) female pig /SAU/       (V) use needle & thread /SOW/

sows (see above)

still (ADJ) not moving, not fizzy (mineral water) (ADV) not finished

subject* (N) individual, area of study (V) impose

subjects* (see above)

supplement (N) booklet added to a newspaper (V+N) food/vitamins added to a diet,

survey* (V+N) questionnaire, geological mapping

surveys* (see above)

swinging (ADJ) exciting (V) moving from side to side

 

take - see the various phrasal verbs including this verb

tear (N) result of crying /TEER/              (V+N) break using lateral force /TAIR/

tears (see above)

terms (N) academic period, conditions in a contract

 

underground (N) The London metro (ADJ) below the surface, illegal or enjoyable to very few people

underline (V) draw a line under, emphasize

underlines (see above)

unused (ADJ) not familiar with /UN YUWST/, (V) not used /UN YOOZD/

upset       (ADJ) unhappy or angry         (V) spill

upsets (see above)                           

use (N) /YEWS/                     (V) /YOOOZ/

used (see above)

uses  (see above)

 

well (N) hole for drinking water (ADJ) healthy

wind (N) air current /WIND/   (V) move using a turning motion /WAIND/

wound (V+N) injure with violence /WOOOND/    (V) past of 'wind' /WAUND/

 

yard (N) back garden (USA), (N) Imperial measurement = 0.914 metres

 

@ My thanks to John Higgins for his excellent list of homographs which I have used as a basis for this list.