mˈɛni sˈiːnoʊɾɪbˈɛtən lˈæŋɡwɪdʒᵻz ænd tˈaɪ kˈædaɪ lˈæŋɡwɪdʒᵻz, wˌɪtʃ mˈeɪ ɐpˈɪɹ tə nˈɑːnspˈiːkɚz bˈiː "mˌɑːnoʊsɪlˈæbɪk", jˈuːs tˈoʊn tə dɪstˈɪŋɡwɪʃ mˈɔːɹfiːmz, wˈʌn sˈɪləbəl ɪn dˈɪfɹənt tˈoʊnz hɐz dˈɪfɹənt mˈiːnɪŋz.
Many Sino-Tibetan languages and Tai–Kadai languages, which may appear to non-speakers be "monosyllabic", use tone to distinguish morphemes, One syllable in different tones has different meanings.