The /m/ sound is spelled with <m> or <mm>. The /n/ sound is spelled with <n>, <nn> or <gn> in gnash.
This is a contrast between two voiced nasal continuants, one bilabial and one alveolar. It may be an occasional problem, especially when final in the syllable.
Interesting pairs include:
acme acne
immobility inability
maples Naples
mighty nightie
morpheme morphine
seamier senior
system cistern
The mean density value is 2.1%. The lists make 244 semantic distinctions, a loading of 57%.
acme acne alum Allan am Ann balm barn balms barns beam bean beams beans beamed beaned beaming beaning Belgium Belgian bombed bond bomb Bonn boom boon booms boons boredom Bordon bum bun bums buns calm khan calms khans calm Calne cam can cams cans chime chine chimes chines chrome crone clam clan clams clans coaming coning comb cone combing coning combed coned combs cones comic conic comical conical coming cunning contemned contend corm corn corms corns Cromer kroner dam Dan damn Dan dame Dane dames Danes dame deign dames deigns deem dean deems deans demise denies dim din dims dins dimming dinning dimmed dinned dime dine dimes dines dimmer dinner dimmers dinners dumb done dumb dun Elysium Elysian 'em 'un fame fain fame feign famed feigned fames feigns form faun forms fauns form fawn forms fawns formed fawned forming fawning fem fen firm fern firms ferns foam phone foamed phoned foaming phoning foams phones foamy phoney game gain gamed gained gaming gaining games gains gem gen gemmed genned gems gens gym gin gyms gins gleam glean gleamed gleaned gleaming gleaning gleams gleans gnome known grim grin grimed grind gum gun gummed gunned gumming gunning gums guns gummy gunny hammed hand haulm horn hem hen hems hens home hone homes hones homing honing hum Hun hums Huns immobility inability immure inure immured inured immures inures immuring inuring jam Jan jemmy jenny jemmies jennies Jim djinn Jim gin lame lain lame lane lames lanes lambed land lemur leaner Leominster Leinster lime line limed lined limes lines liming lining limit linnet limits linnets loam loan loom loon looms loons Lymm Lynn M N M's N's mac knack macs knacks ma'am man made neighed mag nag mags nags maid neighed mail nail mailed nailed mailing nailing mails nails maim name maimed named maiming naming maims mains maim main maker nacre male nail males nails map knap mapped knapped mapping knapping maps knaps map nap mapped napped mapping napping maps naps maples Naples mare ne'er mark nark marks narks marked narked marking narking marrow narrow marrows narrows mash gnash mashed gnashed mashing gnashing mashes gnashes Matt gnat mat gnat mats gnats matter natter mattered nattered mattering nattering matters natters Maud gnawed maw gnaw maws gnaws maw nor max knacks may n�e may neigh Mays neighs MB NB mead knead meads kneads mead need meads needs me knee meal kneel meals kneels meal Neil meat neat Meath 'neath Med Ned medium median mediums medians meet neat melt knelt mercies nurses mere near meres nears merely nearly mess ness messes nesses messed nest met net metal nettle metalled nettled metals nettles meter neater mew knew mew new mews news mewed nude mice nice Mick Nick mickle nickel might knight might night mighty nightie mill nil mime mine mimes mines miming mining mimed mined mimed mind mine nine mines nines mire nigher mite knight mites knights mite night mites nights mitre nitre mix nicks mo know mo no moan known moat note moated noted moats notes mob knob mobs knobs mobility nobility mock knock mocked knocked mocking knocking mocks knocks mocker knocker mockers knockers Mod nod Mods nods mode node modes nodes model noddle models noddles module nodule modules nodules modular nodular mole knoll moles knolls moo gnu moos gnus moon noon moose noose mooses nooses mope nope more nor more gnaw Mormon Norman Mormons Normans morpheme morphine Morse Norse mosey nosey moseys noses motion notion motions notions mouse nous mow no mow know mows knows mown known mowing knowing mow now muckle knuckle mummy money mummies monies mull null mulls nulls mum numb mums numbs mural neural mute newt mutes newts mutt nut mutts nuts muzzle nuzzle muzzled nuzzled muzzles nuzzles muzzling nuzzling my nigh numb none numb nun numbs nuns oakum oaken ohm own ohms owns Oldham olden Pam pan ram ran rammed rand rheum rune rhyme Rhine rhymed rind RM RN roam roan roams roans roam Rhone Rome roan Rome Rhone rhomb Ron room rune rooms runes rum run rums runs rummer runner rummy runny same sane seam scene seams scenes scream screen screamed screened screaming screening screams screens simmer sinner simmers sinners simmered synod skim skin skimmed skinned skimming skinning skims skins smack snack smacks snacks smear sneer smeared sneered smearing sneering smears sneers smog snog smogs snogs smug snug smugger snugger smuggest snuggest smugly snugly smuggle snuggle smuggled snuggled smuggles snuggles smuggling snuggling smugness snugness seamier senior some son some sun spam span spams spans spamming spanning spammed spanned sperm spurn sperms spurns Stamford Stanford stem Sten stems Stens stemming Steyning sum son sums sons sum sun sums suns summed sunned summing sunning someday Sunday swarm sworn system cistern systems cisterns team teen teams teens teem teen teems teens term tern terms terns term turn termed turned terming turning terms turns them then thyme Tyne thyme tine time tine timed tined times tines time Tyne tome tone tomes tones trams trans tum ton tums tons tum tun tums tuns tummy tunny tummies tunnies tumour tuna tumours tunas tumour tuner tumours tuners warm warn warmed warned warming warning warms warns whim win whims wins
Credit: John Higgins