How do you say 'lead' and in English? More homographs explained

Here's a quick pronunciation challenge for you... Think about the word 'lead' in the sentences below - how should it be pronounced in each case?

Record yourself saying the sentences out loud. Then watch the video to check your pronunciation.

Do you think he has the qualifications to lead the team?

These pipes are very old - I think they're made of lead.

My dog always pulls at his lead when he sees a squirrel in the park.

‘Lead’ is a homograph in English - a word which has different pronunciations and meanings, but the same spelling in each case.

‘Lead’ as a verb means to take charge of or control a project, or a group of people.

Example: The board agreed she was the right person to lead the business going forward.

In this case, 'lead' is pronounced /liːd/, and rhymes with 'seed'.

‘Lead’ as a noun can mean the person in charge of a project or team (example: Tom's the Lead Developer) and is also the word we use for the long strap you use when you take a dog for a walk.

Example: My dog always gets excited when I pick up his lead, because he knows we're going out.

This 'lead' is also pronounced /liːd/, and rhymes with 'seed'.

'Lead’ can also be used as a noun, to describe the metal/material. We use it to refer to the material in the middle of a pencil. (Although confusingly, it's not lead, it's graphite!)

Example: This pencil has a soft lead, perfect for certain styles of drawing.

This 'lead' is pronounced /led/, and rhymes with 'bed' (and 'said').

Can you hear - and feel - the difference in how the vowel sound is pronounced in each case? To hear the vowel sounds in isolation - and in some different example words - take a look at our interactive phonetic chart.

If you're interested to find out more about English pronunciation, you can download our free guide to the Six Key Features of International English Pronunciation.