Which word has the short vowel /e/ sound?

The word that has the short vowel /e/ sound is "Bed." It is pronounced with a clear, short /e/ sound, as in the phonetic representation /bɛd/. The vowel in "Bed" is distinctively short, which sets it apart from the other choices.

In "Bread," although it may seem to also contain the short /e/ sound, it is pronounced with a slightly different vowel quality. The short vowel sound is not as clear and can be considered influenced by the presence of the consonant cluster that follows it.

"Lead" can be pronounced in different ways; however, when it's referring to the verb meaning to guide, it has a long vowel sound /i:/ as in the word "lead" (the metal).

"Read" has two pronunciations: as a past tense of "read," it has a long vowel sound /i:/, while the present tense is a long /i:/ sound too.

Thus, “Bed” is the correct choice illustrating a clear short vowel /e/ sound.