We investigate the natural codings of linear involutions. We deduce from the geometric representation of linear involutions as Poincare maps of measured foliations a suitable definition of return words which yields that the set of first return words to a given word is a symmetric basis of the free group on the underlying alphabet $A$. The set of first return words with respect to a subgroup of finite index $G$ of the free group on $A$ is also proved to be a symmetric basis of $G$.