HETERONYMS I

Some of the most interesting words in English are heteronyms. These are words that have two distinctly different pronunciations and meanings, even though they are spelled exactly the same - the same word pronounced two different ways with two different meanings. WIND, pronounced with the short i is blowing air. WIND pronounced with the long i means to turn - as to wind a watch.

(Heteronyms, homophones, and homographs can be confused. For example, BASS, pronounced with a long a, is a male singing voice; pronounced with a short a, it is a kind of fish. In this sense, BASS is a heteronym. When it's pronounced with the long a sound - a male singing voice - it's also a homophone for BASE. Homophones are two different words (spelled differently) but pronounced the same. BASE is also a homograph - a word that has more than one meaning. For example, BASE can mean a center of operations, the opposite of an acid in chemistry, or vile and evil - as in base desires. It can be confusing, but such distinctions enrich the language immensely and provide for endless wordplay.) [This paragraph added August 13, 2017.]

Heteronyms should not be confused with stressonyms. Stressonyms are words which change in meaning when the stress is shifted from one syllable to another. For example,  PRODUCE, means "fruits and vegetables" if the stress is on the first syllable, or "to make something" if the stress is on the second syllable. Stressonyms are also interesting words, but there are many of them in English, while there are very few heteronyms.

Each clue below lists one of the definitions of a heteronym. Can you identify the heteronym and determine its other pronunciation and meaning?

1. Moving air currents

2. Bird symbolic of peace

3. A line of seats, as in a theater

4. AAA is a frequently seen one

5. Third person, present tense of "do."

6. You'll need one to shoot an arrow

7. A soldier injured in combat could have one

8. A dressmaker, for one

9. 1, 2, or 3

10. Crooning

11. To shed skin, as a snake

Answers:

1. WIND and WIND a watch

2. DOVE and "He DOVE into the pool."

3. ROW and ROW, a noisy disagreement or fight

4. TOWER and the Eiffel TOWER

5. DOES and DOES, female deer

6. BOW and Take a BOW

7. WOUND and "He WOUND the clock."

8. SEWER and SEWER, a drainage pipe

9. NUMBER and NUMBER, the result of more novacaine

10. SINGING and the fire is SINGING the paper

11. SLOUGH and SLOUGH, a swampy, muddy place

NOTE 1: WIND is a unique heteronym. Pronounced with a long i, its past tense WOUND also is a heteronym.

Note 2: SLOUGH (#12) can be pronounced /SLUF/ /SLOU/ and /SLOO/.

NOTE 3: Heteronyms (like BASS) may have homophones and/or homographs of one or both of their pronunciations (BASE). Certain heteronyms (BOW, READ, and TEAR, for example) have many interesting, often complex, homophones and homographs. For some examples of these, see the HETERONYMS post labeled HOMO SAPIENS.