HETERONYM PAIRS

[A heteronym is a single word that has two distinct pronunciations, each with a distinct meaning. WIND, moving air, and WIND, as in wind a watch, are heteronyms. Heteronyms are often confused with homophones, homographs, and stressonyms. For example, BOW, to bend at the waist, and BOW, a hair ribbon, are heteronyms. But BOW, to bend at the waist, and BOUGH, a tree limb, are homophones (two words which sound the same but are spelled differently). BOW, a hair ribbon, and BOW, as in  bow and arrow, are homographs (the same word and pronunciation, but with two or more meanings). REFUSE, as in trash, and REFUSE, as in to say no, are stressonyms (words which change in pronunciation and meaning because of shift in stress between syllables).]

The blanks in the sentences below can be filled in with heteronyms.

1. If this tariff means that a poor third-world pig farmer can't sell his _ _ _, it will _ _ _ the seeds of rebellion.

2. You need to _ _ _ _ yourself away from him without shedding a _ _ _ _.

3. You can serve the tenor _ _ _ _, but the _ _ _ _ would prefer salmon.

4. _ _ _ _ the hunter know it's illegal to shoot _ _ _ _?

5. Stop this noisy _ _ _ and line up in a _ _ _ so we can start the race.

6. I _ _ _ _ _ that clock so tightly that the spring flew apart and caused this _ _ _ _ _  you see on my arm.

7. You are _ _ _ _ _ _ _ your golf lessons to good use since your _ _ _ _ _ _ _ is much improved.

8. Being _ _ _ _ _ to the end of this project, we're preparing to _ _ _ _ _ it down.

Answers:

1. SOW
2. TEAR
3. BASS
4. DOES
5. ROW
6. WOUND
7. PUTTING 
8. CLOSE

Credit:  GAMES Magazine 
November, 2005
Esther Knierim (adapted)