The /h/ sound is spelled with <h>. The /l/ sound is spelled with <l>. Notice how the homographs lead pairs with head and heed and Lied/lied with heat and hide.
This is a contrast between a voiceless glottal fricative and a voiced lateral continuant, only occurring in syllable-initial position. The contrast is not a problem, although the individual sounds may be difficult for some learners.
Interesting pairs include:
haggard laggard
harboured larboard
hemming lemming
hewed lewd
higher liar
The mean density value is 1.9%. The lists make 141 semantic distinctions, a loading of 50%.
ahoy alloy ha la hack lack hacked lacked hacking lacking hacks lacks had lad haft laughed hag lag hags lags haggard laggard hair lair hairs lairs hair layer hairs layers hake lake hakes lakes half laugh ham lam hams lams hamming lamming hammed lammed ham lamb hammed lambed hamming lambing hams lambs hand land handed landed handing landing hands lands hank lank hanky lanky hap lap happed lapped happing lapping haps laps harboured larboard hard lard harder larder hare lair hares lairs hare layer hares layers hared laird hark lakh harks lakhs hark lark harked larked harking larking harks larks Harriet lariat Harry Larry hash lash hashes lashes hashing lashing hashed lashed haste laced hatch latch hatched latched hatches latches hatching latching hate late hatter latter haunch launch haunches launches have lav haves lavs haw law haws laws haw lor haw lore hawed laud hay lay haze lays haze laze hazed lazed hazes lazes hazing lazing hazy lazy hazier lazier haziest laziest hazily lazily haziness laziness he Leigh he lea he lee head lead headed leaded heading leading heads leads head led heap leap heaped leaped heaping leaping heaps leaps hear leer hearing leering hears leers hearer lira hearers liras hearth lath hearty lathi heat Lied heater litre heaters litres heather leather heathers leathers heave leave heaves leaves heaving leaving heaven leaven heavens leavens heavy levee heavies levees heavy levy heavies levies hedge ledge hedges ledges heed lead heeding leading heeds leads heeds Leeds heft left height light heights lights heighten lighten heightened lightened heightening lightening heightens lightens hemming lemming hen Len hennaed Leonard hens lens Herne learn Herr lair Herr layer hewed lewd hi lie hick lick hicks licks hide lied hie lie hieing lying hies lies hied lied high lie highs lies higher liar hike like hiked liked hikes likes hiking liking hilly Lily hilt lilt hilts lilts him limb hind lined hint lint hints Linz hire liar hires liars hive live hives lives ho lo ho low hoar lor hoard laud hoarded lauded hoarding lauding hoards lauds hoard lord hoards lords hob lob hobs lobs hobby lobby hobbies lobbies hock loch hocked locked hocking locking hocks lochs hods Lodz hoe low hoeing lowing hoed lowed hoes lows hoed load hog log hogged logged hogging logging hogs logs holly lolly holy lowly holier lowlier holiest lowliest holiness lowliness home loam homey loamy hone loan honed loaned hones loans honing loaning Hoo lieu Hoo loo hooey Louis hook look hooked looked hooking looking hooks looks hookah looker hookahs lookers hooker looker hookers lookers hoop loop hooped looped hooping looping hoops loops hoot loot hooted looted hooting looting hoots loots hooter looter hooters looters Hoover louvre Hoovered louvered Hoovers louvres hop lop hopped lopped hopping lopping hops lops hope lope hoped loped hopes lopes hoping loping horde laud hordes lauds horde lord hordes lords horn lawn horns lawns hot lot hots lots house louse Howard loured huff luff huffed luffed huffing luffing huffs luffs hug lug hugged lugged hugging lugging hugs lugs hull lull hulled lulled hulling lulling hulls lulls hump lump humped lumped humping lumping humps lumps hunch lunch hunched lunched hunches lunches hunching lunching hung lung hush lush hymn limb hymned limbed hymning limning hymns limbs overhand overland Soho solo who lieu who loo whom loom whore law whores laws whore lor whore lore whose loos whose lose
Credit: John Higgins