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Homographs List

Homographs are spelled identically but pronounced differently depending on meaning: you lead a team with a vowel that rhymes with seed, but lead the metal rhymes with red. Only context tells you which. Each word here has two valid pronunciations, so listen for the one the list uses and look up its partner.


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The words

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Cat and cut, bed and bad, cop and cup. One vowel apart, completely different words.
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Keep practising

Browse every practice list or the word index, hear two accents back to back on Compare, or test your ear with the listening quiz.

To read the rules behind these words, see the pronunciation guides — including silent letters, word stress and American vs British. Or hear each accent on its own page: American, British, Australian.