Words with different meaning

[cisamcgu]

There are some words that are spelt the same, but pronounced in a different manner to mean a different thing.

Lead (thing for pulling a dog)
Lead (heavy metal)

Wind (turn a screw or key)
Wind (movement of air)

Can anyone tell me what this class of words is called ? And are they many examples ? My curiosity has been piqued


Thanks

Andrew

 

[Mr Phoebus]

I think they're called Homonyms???

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Words that sound the same but mean different things (eg 'heard' and 'herd') are called homophones (I think). As for words that llok the same but sound different and mean different things, I'm not sure. Sorry.

 

[walker]

bough and Bow

 

[Melvil]

On a similar subject, here is a poem written entirely in homophones:

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.
As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rarely ever wrong. Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in it's weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.

 

[Arch]

homophones?

I think there are different classes of them, but don't remember the details...

And I think there are something called homonyms (?) ..

hang on, lets get this right...

<wiki>

Homographs are spelt the same, and may be pronounced the same or differently.

Homophones are words said the same, with different meanings and may be spelt the same or differently.

Homonyms are words that sound the same, but are spelt differently.

Heteronyms are words spelt the same but pronounced differently, which is what you mean, I think...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonym

 

[cisamcgu]

Heteronyms - thats the little b*ggers

Thanks everyone