Heteronym

Two different words are heteronyms if they have different meanings and different pronunciations but share the spelling. For example the metal "lead" /led/ and the verb "lead" /liːd/.

Wikipedia has a long list of heteronyms in Heteronym (linguistics).

Common heteronyms

Noun is stressed in the first syllabe, verb is stressed in the second or in the last syllable

Spelling	Pronunciation	PoS	Meaning	Example
attribute	/ˈætrɪbjuːt/	n.	a characteristic	Its best attribute is its durability.
	/əˈtrɪbjuːt/	v.	to associate ownership	Scholars attribute this musical piece to Bach.
conflict	/ˈkɒnflɪkt//	n.	serious disagreement	Violence is no way to resolve conflict!
	/kənˈflɪkt/	v.	to come into collision	The two news reports seem to conflict each other.
record	/ˈrekərd/	n.	physical information	I have a record of my medical expenses.
	/rɪˈkɔːrd/	v.	to keep a permanent account	I plan to record my medical expenses.

Other examples

• conduct, content, contrast, desert, object, present, produce, project, survey, subject, transfer, transport

Noun is pronounced with /s/, verb is pronouced with /z/.

Spelling	Pronunciation	PoS	Meaning	Example
abuse	/əˈbjuːs/	n.	improper treatment	This is an abuse.
	/əˈbjuːz/	v.	to use improperly	Please don't abuse.
house	/ˈhaʊs/	n.	a residential building	I live in a small house.
	/ˈhaʊz/	v.	to place in residence	I can house you for only 3 days.
use	/juːs/	n.	function, benefit	I have a use for 10 euros.
	/juːz/	v.	employ, utilize	I use a toothbrush every day.

Other

Spelling	Pronunciation	PoS	Meaning	Example
alternate	/ˈɔːltərnət/	adj.	other	Peter and Mary do dishes on alternate days.
	/ælˈtɜːrnət/
	/ˈɔːltərneɪt/	v.	to take turns	Peter and Mary alternate doing the dishes.
dove	/dʌv/	n.	a bird	A white dove symbolizes peace.
	/dəʊv/	v.	past tense of dive	Jane dove into a swimmingpool.
invalid	/ɪnˈvælɪd/	adj.	incorrect	An invalid password.
	/ˈɪnvəlɪd/	n.	a disabled person	A chair for invalids.
Keynes	/keɪnz/	proper name	John Maynard Keynes, British economist
	/kiːnz/	proper name	Milton Keynes, a city in England
lead	/liːd/	v.	to guide	John will lead you to your room.
	/led/	n.	a metal / a stick of graphite	A protective wall made of lead. My pencil broke its lead.
read	/riːd/	v.	present tense	I read the news every day.
	/red/	v.	past tense and past participle	I read Tom Sawyer when I was a teenager.
tear	/ˈtɪər/	n.	liquid produced by crying	A tear dropped into his cup.
	/ˈteər/	v.	to separate	It is easy to tear a sheet of paper.
used	/juːst/	modal verb	used to indicates something that happened repeatedly	I used to read a lot when I was young.
	/juːzd/	v.	past tense of use: employed, utilized	I used my toothbrush yesterday. Toothpaste is used to clean your teeth.
wind	/wɪnd/	n.	air movement	The afternoon wind.
	/waɪnd/	v.	to tighten a spring	In a wristwatch you must turn the crown to wind the spring.
wound	/waʊnd/	v.	past tense and past participle of wind	Older watches had to be wound every day.
	/wuːnd/	n.	an injury	Ann fell and received a wound.

Riddle

What words change their pronunciation when capitalized?

The answer to this riddle is below.

Spelling	Pronunciation	PoS	Meaning
polish Polish	/ˈpɒlɪʃ/	noun	a substance used to make something shiny
	/ˈpəʊlɪʃ/	adjective	from Poland
job Job	/dʒɒb/	noun	work or task
	/dʒəʊb/	proper name	a Biblical character
nice Nice	/naɪs/	adjective	pleasant; friendly
	/niːs/	proper name	a city in France
reading Reading	/ˈriːdɪŋ/	-ing form, noun	from the verb read
	/ˈredɪŋ/	proper name	a city in England