English Heteronyms: Different words that look the same!

Heteronyms, heteronyms, heteronyms.

Heteronyms; this is a word, and it has a meaning.

Heteronyms.

It's spelt strangely on the board; that's the correct spelling, but the word is "heteronyms".

What the hell are heteronyms?

Good question; I'm glad you asked.

They are very confusing words, and I don't like them, but I'm doing this to help you

because heteronyms are words that are spelled the same-dunh-dunh-dunh-but have completely

different pronunciation and meaning.

So, when you look at the word, your brain goes: "Oh my god.

Do I say it this way or this way?

Why are there two different words...

One word with two different meanings?"

These are called heteronyms.

Welcome to the wonderful word of heteronyms.

The first heteronym you might know if you play an instrument or if you are a singer,

is this word; but if you like to eat fish, you know it as this word.

So, this word: "bass" - a kind of fish we call a bass.

But if you play an instrument or you sing, it's called a bass.

So, "bass" is a kind of instrument; it's a bass guitar or a stand-up bass.

Bom-bom-bom.

Any stand-up bass players out there or regular bass guitar players?

Hey, there.

You can play the bass, but you can eat a bass fish.

Exact same spelling; both nouns, but the pronunciation and the meaning is completely different.

Stay with me on this one.

It's going to get more difficult; don't worry.

The next one we have is this word; this is an adjective.

As an adjective, we say: "close".

It's a long "s" sound.

"Close" means the same as near.

So, you can say: "The elephant is close to me" or "The elephant is near me."

The next one we have with this word is "close".

We have to really be able to pronounce the "s" and the "z", here.

So, this word is "close".

"Close" means to shut something.

So, this is a verb.

For example: "Close the door"; and this is an adjective: "close".

The door needs to...

We need to close the door because the elephant is close.

Or you can say: "Shut the door; the elephant is near."

And then you don't have to worry about these crazy things.

The next one.

I think you guys know this one already; it's very common.

We have a noun and a verb.

The noun is a land full of sand.

Oh, that rhymes; I'm a poet.

So, a land of sand is called a "desert".

The pron-...

The accent is on the first part of the word and it's two syllables, so this word is desert.

There's the Sahara Desert, and there's many other deserts, but I don't know the names

of them.

Then we have the verb: If you abandon someone or you leave them and you don't tell them

you're going, this is called "desert".

So, you will hear people say: "He deserted me."

And then you think: "Is that a food?"

No.

A food has two Ss.

"Oh, are you in the Sahara?"

And you go: "No, no, no.

I was just abandoned."

The...

The words with two syllables are a little bit easier, but not that much.

The ones that have crazy sounds like this, they're more difficult, so you're going to

have to practice; you've got homework.

The next one is one of these birds that everyone loves, and it's called a "dove".

The spelling is like this, but the pronunciation is like: "dove".

A dove is a kind of bird; it's white; it looks like a pigeon.

Apparently it's not a pigeon, but I think it's a pi-...

It's not a pigeon; it looks like a pigeon.

It's not a pigeon.

It's a kind of soap brand as well.

And then we have the past tense of "dive", which is "dove".

So, we have: "dove", the bird of peace-aw-and then we have "dove".

So, I can say: The dove dove into the building.

Oh my god.

Now it's dead.

If you're sad about this, maybe you're going to cry and you're going to produce a droplet

of water; your eyes are leaking, and this is called a "tear".

The pronunciation is like with two e's, so we say: "tear".

Then the same word as a verb is if you rip something.

If you rip something, you tear it.

You might hear someone say: "Tear it up!"

That means, like: "Do your best!

Yeah!

Go, go, go!"

So...

Or: "Rip it up".

"Tear" is like a teardrop when you're crying; and "tear" is you rip.

But look at the spelling.

Oh my god.

It looks like...

It looks like "tear", which is actually this one.

The next one: "lead" and "lead".

"Lead" is a kind of metal that's dangerous to people, so don't be licking lead things

anymore.

When I was a child, I had a lead dog and he barked a lot, and I licked him, and then I

died.

That is not true.

None of that is true; what I just said.

I did have a dog.

It was made of lead.

I didn't lick it and I'm not dead.

So, "lead" is a kind of poisonous metal; and "lead" means to be in charge.

This is where we get the noun of "leader".

So, "leader" is to be in charge of something; it's from the verb "to lead"; to be in charge

of something.

Yeah.

These two, they're kind of cool because the pronunciation is similar.

Oh.

You gave me a "present", that's so nice.

But something that's not so nice: If you have to "present" something.

So, if you have to give a presentation-hey, there's a trick in there-you present.

So, I'm presenting this-dunh-dunh-dunh-dunh-it's my metal dog.

But a present is a gift.

Check this out: He presented me with a present.

He gave me a gift.

Easier, but the pronunciation's the same.

Oh, this is also a grammar term; some kind of verb, a present verb, which would be the

same.

Let's not do grammar; this is enough.

The next one is a verb.

We say: "produce".

"Produce" is a verb; means to make.

So, you can produce anything in a factory.

You can produce things at your house.

And, as a noun, "produce", you'll hear people selling fresh produce.

"Produce" are things like vegetables or fruits.

So, this pronunciation has two meanings...

Or, sorry.

This word has two meanings and two pronunciations; "produce", which means make, and "produce".

This one, we don't use it as much in Canada, but you will hear it: "refuse".

"Refuse" just means garbage or waste; that's a noun.

This verb we use more.

If you "refuse" someone, you object.

You say: "Oh, no way.

Hell no."

So, this is "refuse", which is, like, garbage; and this is "refuse".

I'm refusing to do anymore; this is crazy.

How are you ever going to learn this?

Okay, we'll do it.

This one's fun.

You know this as "wind".

[Blows] So, you go outside and it's windy, and it's air.

This is a noun.

Okay?

The other one we have is "wind".

Same word; completely different pronunciation; completely different word.

So, you wind a watch; it means you turn something.

Also, in British English, if you wind someone up-if you're living in the UK-it means you

make fun of them or you try and make them angry.

So, you turn something, like you wind your watch.

And "wind"-[blows]-is this one.

We're almost to the end.

Are you happy?

Are you amazed and interested of how crazy English is?

The last word is this word: "bow" as a verb, you bend at the waist, so we bow.

If you are from Japan or Korea, you usually bow to pay respects to people.

We don't do that.

[Laughs] We don't respect people here, but "bow" means you bend at the waist.

The other word is "bow".

Tur-bow.

"Bow" is something that you need-dunh-dunh-dunh-dunh-if you're going to play the violin or the viola.

This part; this imaginary thing, here, is the violin or the viola, and the bow is this

one.

En guard.

A "bow" is also a noun; you can put it in your hair or decorate a gift with it.

So, a "bow" has two meanings; it's a hair, or a wall, or a gift decoration; and also,

it's something used to play the violin; also, as a verb, you bend at the waist.

I would like to say: Thank you very much-arigatogozaimashita-for watching this lesson.

I don't believe I did it.

Good luck learning these, and we'll see you next time.