The /h/ sound is spelled with <h> or <wh> in who. The /m/ sound is spelled with <m> or <mm>. Notice how the homograph mows makes pairs with hose and house.
This is a contrast between a voiceless glottal fricative and a voiced nasal continuant. It can only occur initially or medially before a stressed syllable. It is not a problem.
This contrast is heard in the word hugger-mugger, originally meaning concealment but now more often confusion. Other interesting pairs include:
harangue meringue
Helen melon
highness minus
hustle muscle
The mean density value is 3.2%. The lists make 147 semantic distinctions, a loading of 52%.
aha Armagh ha ma ha mar hack mac hacks macs hacks Max had mad hag mag hags mags hail mail hailed mailed hails mails hail male hails males hair mare hairs mares hair mayor hairs mayors hairy Mary hale mail hale male hair mare hairs mares hairy Mary Haiti matey hake make hall mall halls malls hall maul halls mauls hallow mallow hallows mallows halt malt halted malted halting malting halts malts ham ma'am handy Mandy hanks Manx Hansard mansard Hansards mansards hap map happed mapped happing mapping haps maps harangue meringue harangues meringues hard marred hark mark harked marked harking marking harks marks Harlow Marlow harry marry harried married harries marries harrying marrying harrow marrow harrows marrows harsh marsh hart mart harts marts hash mash hashes mashes hashing mashing hashed mashed hasten mason hastens masons hat mat hats mats hatch match hatched matched hatches matches hatching matching hatchet matchet hatchets matchets hate mate hated mated hates mates hating mating hatter matter hatters matters haul mall hauls malls haul maul hauled mauled hauling mauling haw maw haws maws hawed Maud hay may Hayling mailing haze Mays haze maize haze maze hazed mazed hazes mazes he me head Med Heanor meaner hear mere hears meres hearses mercies heart mart hearts marts heat meat heats meats heat meet heats meets heating meeting heat mete heated meted heats metes heated meted heater meter heaters meters heed mead heeds meads heed Mede heeds Medes height might height mite heights mites Helen melon hen men her myrrh here mere Herr mare Herr mayor hew mew hewed mewed hewing mewing hews mews heyday mayday hi my hick Mick hicks mix hidden midden high my higher mire highness minus highnesses minuses hike mike hikes mikes hilly Millie hilt milt hind mind hinds minds hint mint hinted minted hinting minting hints mints hire mire hired mired hires mires hiring miring hiss miss hissed missed hisses misses hissing missing ho mo ho mow hoar more hoarse Morse hoax mokes hob mob hobs mobs hock mock hocked mocked hocking mocking hocks mocks hod Mod hods Mods hoe mo hoe mow hoes mows hoed mowed hoeing mowing hoed mode hoist moist hold Mold hold mould holding moulding holdings mouldings holds moulds holder moulder holders moulders hole mole holes moles holly Molly hone moan honed moaned hones moans honing moaning honey money honeyed moneyed honeys monies Hoo moo hoot moot hooted mooted hooting mooting hoots moots Hoover mover Hoovers movers hooves moves hop mop hopped mopped hopping mopping hops mops hope mope hoped moped hopes mopes hoping moping Horace Maurice Horley Morley horn morn horns morns horn mourn horned mourned horning morning horns mourns hose mows hoses moseys host most hotel motel hotels motels hotly motley hound mound hounds mounds house mouse house mows Hove mauve how mow huddle muddle huddled muddled huddles muddles huddling muddling huff muff huffed muffed huffs muffs hug mug hugged mugged hugging mugging hugs mugs Hugh mew hull mull hulled mulled hulls mulls hulling mulling hum mum hums mums humble mumble humbled mumbled humbles mumbles humbling mumbling humps mumps hunch munch hunched munched hunches munches hunching munching hunger monger hungers mongers hunk monk hunks monks hurtle myrtle hurtles myrtles hush mush husk musk husky musky huskier muskier huskiest muskiest hussies musses hustle muscle hustled muscled hustles muscles hustling muscling hut mutt huts mutts whole mole wholes moles whose moos
John Higgins, Shaftesbury, December 2010.