What words have a short e sound?

The short E is heard in many Words where the E is between consonants: bed, get, left, men, neck, step, and tell.

Most Words that begin with E (other than EE or EI) have a short E.

education

egg

enter

excuse

(However, the Words effect, effective, emit, and emission have short I sounds in US pronunciation)

The short E can also be produced by an EA pair or a UE pair, or other vowels.

EA Words - bread, deaf, death, health, sweat

EI Words - heifer, nonpareil

UE Words - guess, guest

A Words - many, can, says

U Words - bury

AI Words - said, again

("says" also has a short E sound)