advance vs lead

advance and lead both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
advance	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
lead	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, lead is a hyponym of advance; that is, lead is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than advance:

Other hyponyms of advance include connive at, wink at, cultivate, foster, further, spur, help, carry, feed, conduce, contribute.

advance (noun)	lead (noun)
the act of moving forward (as toward a goal)	the playing of a card to start a trick in bridge
increase in price or value	a position of being the initiator of something and an example that others will follow (especially in the phrase `take the lead')
a tentative suggestion designed to elicit the reactions of others	a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
a movement forward	thin strip of metal used to separate lines of type in printing
a change for the better; progress in development	restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal
an amount paid before it is earned	the timing of ignition relative to the position of the piston in an internal-combustion engine
	an advantage held by a competitor in a race
	evidence pointing to a possible solution
	a news story of major importance
	the introductory section of a story
	an indication of potential opportunity
	(baseball) the position taken by a base runner preparing to advance to the next base
	an actor who plays a principal role
	(sports) the score by which a team or individual is winning
	the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)
	mixture of graphite with clay in different degrees of hardness; the marking substance in a pencil
	a soft heavy toxic malleable metallic element; bluish white when freshly cut but tarnishes readily to dull grey

advance (adjective)	lead (adjective)
being ahead of time or need
situated ahead or going before

advance (verb)	lead (verb)
develop in a positive way	cause to undertake a certain action
rise in rate or price	preside over
increase or raise	lead, as in the performance of a composition
develop further	travel in front of; go in advance of others
bring forward for consideration or acceptance	take somebody somewhere
obtain advantages, such as points, etc.	move ahead (of others) in time or space
move forward, also in the metaphorical sense	be in charge of
cause to move forward	be conducive to
move forward	stretch out over a distance, space, time, or scope; run or extend between two points or beyond a certain point
pay in advance	be ahead of others; be the first
give a promotion to or assign to a higher position	cause something to pass or lead somewhere
contribute to the progress or growth of	lead, extend, or afford access
	produce as a result or residue
	tend to or result in