The /d/ sound is spelled with <d>, <dd> or <de>, and the /n/ sound is <n> or <nn>. Notice how the homograph do makes pairs with with know and now.
The contrast is between a voiced stop and a nasal continuant. Though they are close together in the mouth, it is not a problem for learners.
The only taboo word pair is digger/nigger.
Interesting pairs include:
arcade arcane
augured organ
ciphered siphon
dative native
dominate nominate
doorway Norway
florid florin
midst minced
murmured merman
oddest honest
widow winnow
The mean density value is 2.3%. The list makes 359 semantic distinctions, a loading of 66%.
adder anna adders annas addles annals adieu anew adored adorn allied align altered Alton ad Ann add Ann arcade arcane arrayed arraign aside assign asides assigns augured organ baa'd barn bad ban bade ban bared bairn bayed bane bard barn bards barns barred barn battered baton bawd Bourne bawd born bawd borne bead bean beads beans bead been bed ben beds bens begad began bestrewed bestrewn bird Bern bird burn birds burns bid bin bids bins bide bine bides bines blackbird Blackburn blowed blown board Bourne board born board borne bode bone bodes bones boding boning body bonny booed boon brad bran braid brain braiding braining braids brains broad brawn bread Bren bride brine brides brines brokered broken bud bun buds buns buddy bunny buddies bunnies cad can cads cans cad Cannes caddie canny capered capon carbide carbine carbides carbines card Calne card khan cards khans cared cairn careered Korean cawed corn cede scene cedes scenes cede seen chid chin chide chine chides chines chord corn chords corns ciphered siphon clad clan cloud clown clouding clowning clouds clowns cod con codding conning cods cons code cone codes cones coding coning confide confine confides confines confiding confining cooed coon cord corn cords corns cording corning crewed croon crowed crone crowd crown crowding crowning crowds crowns crude croon cruder crooner curled Koln D knee D's knees dab nab dabbed nabbed dabbing nabbing dabs nabs daddy nanny daddies nannies dagger nagger daggers naggers Dakar knacker dale nail dales nails dame name dames names Dan dad Dan Nan Danny daddy dare ne'er dark nark dash gnash dashed gnashed dashes gnashes dashing gnashing dative native datives natives Dave knave Dave nave Davey navy daw gnaw daws gnaws day nay day née day neigh days neighs dead den dead Ned deal Neil deal kneel dealing kneeling deals kneels dealt knelt deed dean deeds deans dear near dearer nearer dearest nearest dearly nearly dearness nearness dears nears debt net debts nets deck neck decked necked decking necking decks necks defied define Delhi Nelly dell Nell derv nerve devil Neville dew knew dew new dhow now Di nigh dibble nibble dibbled nibbled dibbles nibbles dibbling nibbling dice nice Dick Nick dickers knickers did din die nigh died dine digger nigger diggers niggers dill nil dine nine dines nines dip nip dipped nipped dipping nipping dips nips dipper nipper dippers nippers dire nigher ditches niches dives knives divide divine dividers diviners divides divines dividing divining do gnu do's gnus do know dos knows do no dos nose doe know does knows doe no does nose dock knock docked knocked docking knocking docks knocks docker knocker dockers knockers dole knoll doles knolls dome gnome domes gnomes dominate nominate dominated nominated dominates nominates dominating nominating domination nomination doodle noodle doodles noodles door gnaw doors gnaws door nor doorway Norway dope nope Dora Nora dot knot dots knots dotted knotted dotting knotting dot not dote note doted noted dotes notes doting noting dotty knotty dottier knottier dottiest knottiest doubt knout doubts knouts dough know dough no douse nous dowdy downy down noun downs nouns doze knows doze nose dozed nosed dozes noses dozing nosing dual newel dub nub dubs nubs duckling knuckling dud done dud dun duds duns dude dune dudes dunes dude nude dudes nudes due knew due new dues news duel newel duels newels dull null duly newly dumb numb dumbly numbly dumbness numbness durst nursed erred earn erred urn Ed N Eddie any enjoin enjoyed fad fan fads fans faddy Fanny fade fain fade feign fades feigns fading feigning ford faun fords fauns ford fawn fords fawns fording fawning Fed fen florid florin flowed flown foreigner forrader fuddle funnel fuddled funnelled fuddles funnels giddy Guinea God gone grade grain grades grains greed green grid grin grids grins hawed horn head hen heads hens heard Herne hewed hewn hoard horn hoarding horning hoards horns hoed hone horde horn hordes horns humoured human id in interred intern jade Jane joyed join keyed keen kid kin killed kiln lade lain lard Larne larding larning laud lawn lauds lawns lead lean leads leans leading leaning lead Len leader leaner leaders leaners Leeds leans leered lien lied line Lloyd's loins load loan loading loaning loads loans load lone lode loan lodes loans lode lone lord lawn lords lawns mad man madder manner made main made mane madly manly maid main maids mains maid mane maids manes Maud morn mead mean meads means Med men medial menial medially menially midst minced mode moan modes moans mood moon moods moons moody moony moodier moonier moodiest mooniest mountain mounted muddy money mudded moneyed muddies monies murdered murmured murmured merman node known odd on odder honour oddest honest ode own odes owns odour owner odours owners odourless ownerless overflowed overflown oversewed oversewn owed own pad pan padding panning pads pans paddle panel paddled panelled paddles panels paddling panelling paid pain pawed pawn pied pine plaid plan plaids plans played plain played plane pollard pollen prude prune prudes prunes quid quin quids quins raid rain raiding raining raids rains red wren reds wrens redound renowned Rennes read reside resign resides resigns residing resigning reddish Rhenish ride Rhine road roan roads roans Rod Ron rode roan rood rune roods runes rope-yard rope-yarn rowed roan rudder runner rudders runners ruddle runnel ruddles runnels ruddy runny ruddier runnier ruddiest runniest sadist sanest sawed sawn scored scorn screed screen screeds screens seaboard seaborne seed scene seeds scenes seed seen seedier senior sewed sewn she'd sheen shewed shewn shied shine shod shone shored shorn side sign sides signs siding signing silvered silvan sired scion skid skin skidding skinning skids skins sleighed slain solidity salinity suds sons sowed sown spade Spain spied spine sprayed sprain spud spun spurred spurn staid stain stead Sten stirred stern stowed stone strayed strain strewed strewn stud stun studding stunning studs stuns suede swain summered summon swain swayed sward sworn swayed swain tarred tarn Ted ten Teds tens tendered tendon Thorne thawed tide tine tides tines tide Tyne tied tine tidy tiny tidier tinier tidiest tiniest toad tone toads tones toady Tony trade train trades trains trading training trader trainer traders trainers trued Troon tweed 'tween tutored Teuton vied vine wad wan ward warn warding warning wards warns wade wane wades wanes wading waning wed wen weds wens wed when weed wean weeds weans weeding weaning weedy weeny weedier weenier weediest weeniest weighed wane wide whine wide wine wider whiner widow winnow widowed winnowed widows winnows yard yarn yards yarns yawed yawn Z Zen
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, June 2010.