Definition of a word with many meanings

Many English words have multiple meanings. This means that the same word, with the same spelling and pronunciation may have more than one meaning. Sometimes the meanings may be very different. This can be confusing for people learning English. You may wonder,” How do I know what the meaning is?” The best way is rely on context, illustrations, or diagrams in the text. However, if you still are not sure of the meaning, look it up. A dictionary will tell you all the meanings of any word. This posting cannot discuss every word with multiple meanings. There are simply too many of them. In this posting, however, I talk about 25 common words with multiple meanings. These are word you may see and hear in your daily life. I show you parts of speech, definitions, and example sentences for each meaning of each word.The download at the end will give you additional practice understanding words with multiple meanings.

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Below is a list of common words with multiple meanings.

B

  1. bank

2. bark

3. bill

4. break

5. bug

C

6. charge

7. company

8. current

D-H

9. date

10. fair

11. fast

12. fly

13. hit

J-N

14. jam

15. left

16. mine

17. nail

P-R

18. patient

19. pool

20. pupil

21. run

S-T

22. season

23. set

24. take

25. turn

You now know many common English words with multiple meanings. Often you can guess the meaning of the word through context. If that is not helpful, however, don’t hesitate to look the word up. The download will give you additional practice understanding words with multiple meanings.

You can download the practice sheet NOW!

Idioms of the day

  1. no picnic–This means something is difficult and not pleasant. I’m glad I moved, but making all the preparations was no picnic
  2. turn a blind eye to–This means to not notice a very obvious problem. Her husband comes home drunk every night, but she turns a blind eye to his problems. She insists that he’s not an alcoholic. 

What is a word whose definition is «words that have multiple meanings»?

coleopterist's user avatar

coleopterist

30.7k28 gold badges114 silver badges199 bronze badges

asked Feb 24, 2013 at 17:51

Nanc's user avatar

2

If you are looking for a single word, the answer is polysemant.

answered Feb 24, 2013 at 22:19

Bravo's user avatar

BravoBravo

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The term homonym is most commonly used to refer to words which have the same spelling and pronunciation, but different meanings.

«Polysemous words» might be, shall we say, «not incorrect», but you can pretty much guarantee you’ll force everyone you’re speaking or writing to to pull out a dictionary (or is that the point?).

answered Feb 24, 2013 at 18:09

Marshall Eubanks's user avatar

4

Odds and EndsПришло время обратить внимание на некоторые простые общеизвестные слова, имеющие много разных значений. (О словах round  и mean мы уже писали). Возьмем, к примеру, слово “run”, известное всем как «бежать, бегать» — у него около 179 значений, а у слова “take” — 127 значений! Мы решили рассмотреть некоторые самые необходимые значения таких слов, которые могут быть разными частями речи, например, одно и то же слово, не изменяя своей формы, может быть существительным, глаголом, прилагательным и наречием, а также принимать участие в идиомах и фразах.

1. RUN

В качестве глагола:

    • My cat loves to run after rats (бегать) – моя кошка любит бегать за крысами
    • My sister runs a law firm (руководить) – моя сестра руководит юридической фирмой
    • Our company runs car-washing service (предлагать услуги) – наша компания предлагает услуги по мойке машин
    • If you run this computer program you will protect your computer against viruses. (загрузить/установить программу) – если вы загрузите эту компьютерную программу вы защитите ваш компьютер против вирусов.

В качестве существительного

  • We go for a run every morning. (пробежка) – мы ходим на пробежку каждое утро
  • Our play will have a short run in this city. (период времени) – наша пьеса будет недолго идти в этом городе
  • The bus makes a regular run to the country (маршрут) – автобус совершает регулярные рейсы в деревню

2. TAKE

В качестве глагола

    • Take this cake for your sister (брать) – возьми это пирожное для своей сестры
    •  I took a deep breath / Children took a sip of their juice / she took a look at the people before her (выполнить какое-то действие) – я глубоко вздохнул / дети отхлебнули свой сок/ она посмотрела на людей перед собой.
    • If you want to be successful you should take a course of study at college (учиться) — Если ты хочешь добиться успеха в жизни,тебе следует отучиться в колледже

Глагольные конструкции

  • That’s my final offer. Take it or leave it. — Это мое последнее предложение. Или соглашайся, или гуд-бай. (отсутствие выбора)
  • It takes all sorts (to make the world) — Всякие люди бывают / человек человеку рознь
  • Take it from me, this story is interesting – можете мне поверить, эта история интересная (используется для усиления того, что мы говорим)

3. TURN

В качестве глагола

  • The child turned around saw his mother (изменить положениее) – ребенок оглянулся и увидел свою мать
  • Turn left than right (изменить направление) – поверните налево, затем направо
  • Now turn the page and find exercise 5 (перевернуть страницу) – сейчас переверните страницу и найдите упражнение 5
  • From a student she turned a teacher (стать другим) – из студентки она стала учителем
  • As winter came it turned cold ( измениться — о погоде) – пришла зима и стало холодно

В качестве существительного

  • It is your turn to speak (очередь) – ваша очередь говорить
  • Our meeting took an unexpected turn (изменение ситуации) – наша встреча приняла неожиданный поворот
  • Be careful when driving and take a right turn (изменение направления) – будьте осторожны при вождении и поверните в нужном месте

Глагольные конструкции

  • She cuts costs at every turn – она постоянно экономит деньги
  • I made him a good turn by inviting to participate in my project – я оказал ему хорошую услугу, пригласив принять участие в своем проекте.
  • He made me a bad turn by introducing to that terrible person – он оказал мне плохую услугу, познакомив с этим ужасным человеком.
  • Why does this woman always speak out of turn? – почему эта женщина всегда всех перебивает (говорит вне очереди)?
  • We were happy to live at the turn of the century – нам посчастливилось жить на рубеже двух столетий

Таких слов с множеством значений в английском языке много. С некоторыми из них мы вас познакомим в одной из следующих статей. Следите за обновлениями!

prosba avtora

What are polysemous words? Is it easy to understand someone if they say ‘did you get the bat?’ Polysemy refers to a single word with more than one meaning. The multiple meanings are listed under one entry in a dictionary. An example of polysemy is the word dish. If we took a look at the dictionary we see that dish has multiple definitions, or polysemous meanings, under one entry:

  • It’s your turn to wash the dishes = a kind of plate.
  • How long does it take to cook this dish? = a meal.

Both meanings of dish imply some kind of ‘food being served’. They’re related by sense but have different definitions.

Another example of a polysemous word is wing:

Wing (noun)

  • One of the bird’s wings is broken = parts of a bird for flying.
  • The hospital is building a new wing = a new part of a building.

Again, both meanings refer to ‘a section that sticks out from the main body’. The definitions are different but the polysemous words are still related to each other.

Polysemy meaning in linguistics

The term polysemy, or polysemous words, comes from the Greek words poly and sēma which together mean ‘many signs’. The opposite of polysemy is monosemy. Monosemy is when one word has only one meaning.

Polysemy is related to homonymy (one word that has multiple meanings but is pronounced and/or spelt the same). Additionally, because polysemous words have more than one meaning, they can cause lexical ambiguity. This can happen when someone hears/reads something without the same frame of reference or contextual information as the speaker/writer. For example, ‘Let’s go to the bank!’ isn’t clear. Does this mean ‘a river bank’ or ‘a financial institution’?

Examples of polysemy in semantics

Take a look at the polysemy examples below and find one word that they all have in common:

  1. He has served his time in prison.
  2. The free food is served to homeless people only.
  3. This old bike has served me well.
  4. The new mall will serve the community well.
  5. My mom served in the medical corps.

All five sentences use the same verb serve. Although each sentence carries a different sense of serve, they all imply the same meaning of ‘giving service’:

  1. He has served his time in prison → spend some time (in prison).
  2. The free food is served for homeless people only → provide.
  3. This old bike has served me well → be useful.
  4. The new mall will serve the community well → provide.
  5. My mom serves in the medical corps → work as.

Serve is then a very good example of polysemous words. Some other examples of polysemy include:

  • Verb: get — receive, bring, move/travel.
  • Noun: bank — of a river/canal, a place to deposit money, a slope.
  • Adjective: light — colours, not heavy, not serious.

Important to know: One fundamental characteristic of polysemous words is that all the different meanings are associated in related senses. Because of this, polysemous words often have denotative and connotative meanings. For instance: Head: of a body (denotative) and the person at the top of a company (connotative). Bright: shining (denotative) and intelligent (connotative). Run: to move fast on foot (denotative) and manage (connotative).

Polysemy examples in literature

How can we analyse polysemic examples in literature? Take a look at this excerpt from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale (1623) (Act 5, Scene 3) below and analyze the polysemous meaning of the word gallery:

LEONTES

O Paulina,

We honor you with trouble: but we came

To see the statue of our queen: your gallery

Have we pass’d through, not without much content

In many singularities; but we saw not

That which my daughter came to look upon,

The statue of her mother

[…]

PAULINA

As she lived peerless,

So her dead likeness, I do well believe,

Excels whatever yet you look’d upon

Or hand of man hath done; therefore I keep it

Lonely, apart. But here it is: prepare

To see the life as lively mock’d as ever

Still sleep mock’d death: behold, and say ’tis well.

The word gallery has several different polysemous meanings:

  1. A long corridor to exhibit works of art in Elizabethan and Jacobean houses.
  2. (In a theatre) the highest of such projecting platforms, containing the cheapest seats.
  3. A crypt or a catacomb.

At the first glance, you may think the gallery that Shakespeare refers to is ‘the corridor to display art’ (meaning 1). However, after analyzing Paulina’s remark on Leontes, the interpretation of gallery is likely to be a ‘crypt/catacomb’ (meaning 3). Paulina compares the statue of Hermione to a ‘funerary monument’ (her dead likeness), instead of a piece of artwork (Sabatier, 2016).

Study tip: Polysemous words are often tricky to interpret. The meaning of the word that the author wants to express can sometimes be “hidden” under another meaning that is more familiar to us. Pay attention to the tone, setting, and context of the prose to fully grasp the author’s “real” meaning.

What is the difference between polysemy and homonymy?

There is a crucial difference between polysemic words and homonymic expressions. If you read or hear two words that are written or pronounced the same but have different meanings, they are likely to be either an example of polysemy or homonymy. Deciding what kind of relationship the two words have can be challenging, but not once you understand the differences between these terms.

Polysemous words

  • Refers to a word with multiple meanings.
  • Are listed under a single dictionary entry.
  • Must stem from the same word class, eg noun-noun: mouse (an animal — computer device), wings (parts of birds for flying — part of a building), beam (a line of light — a piece of wood).

Homonymic words

  • Refers to words with different meanings but with the same pronunciation and/or spelling.
  • Are listed under multiple dictionary entries.
  • Can be verb-noun combination: to address — an address, to rock — a rock, to park — a park.

Study tip: Homonym is a broad term and can be distinguished from:

Homographs: words with different meanings and pronunciation but written the same, eg, lead (verb) and lead (noun)

Homophones: words with different meanings and spellings but the same pronunciation, eg, write, right, and rite.

Polysemy vs. homonymy

What is the difference between polysemic words and homonymy? Take the word address.

First, analyse the multiple meanings and word class. Address has two meanings and two different word classes:

  • to speak to (verb) and,

  • a location (noun).

Second, if the words have multiple forms (multiple entries in a dictionary), eg a verb and noun, they are homonyms. If the two words stem from a single form (one entry in a dictionary), eg a verb or noun, they are polysemies. The word address has two word forms: a verb and a noun. This proves that address is a homonym.

Third, check if the different meanings are related. The two meanings of address (‘to speak to’ and ‘a location’) are not related. This further proves that address is a homonym.

In contrast, the word bright (‘shining’ and ‘intelligent’) is an example of polysemy because it only has one form (adjective) and both meanings are related. Take a look at the diagram below.

Polysemy Table of polysemy and homonymy differences StudySmarterFig. 1 — Homonymy involves unrelated meanings, whereas polysemy involves related meanings.

Polysemy and homonymy

There are, however, some words that are both examples of polysemy and homonymy, such as date.

  • date (noun) means ‘a fruit’, ‘a particular day’, and ‘a romantic meeting’ → polysemy 1
  • date (verb) means ‘to write a particular day’ and ‘to have a romantic meeting’ → polysemy 2
  • This means date (noun) and date (verb) are homonyms.

What is the difference between polysemy and hyponymy?

To explain the difference between polysemous words and hyponymic expressions, let’s take the word mouse.

Polysemy describes one word with more than one meaning.

  • What does mouse mean?
  • Mouse has two meanings: an animal (meaning 1) and a computer device (meaning 2).

Because the word mouse has multiple meanings it can cause lexical ambiguity: «Do you mean the animal mouse or the computer device?» Hyponymy describes a super and subordinate relationship between words.

  • What are the kinds of mouse?
  • There are two kinds of mouse (superordinate): house mouse (subordinate 1) and field mouse (subordinate 2).

Hence, even if the word mouse is used without a specific reference to the house mouse or field mouse, it still indicates the animal mouse. It doesn’t cause lexical ambiguity with the other meaning of mouse (a computer device).

Polysemy vs. hyponymy

Through our examples of polysemy, we see that a house mouse and a field mouse aren’t the two different meanings of a mouse. Both types of the singular mouse refer to one thing, the animal.

From the perspective of hyponymy, the mouse that is the computer device isn’t a kind of the animal mouse. It is a mouse (the connotative meaning of mouse = polysemy).

Polysemy Image of a computer mouse StudySmarterFig. 2 — Mouse can refer to a computer device. Polysemy, Field Mouse, StudySmarterFig. 3 — Mouse can refer to the animal.

Based on these two different concepts, we can conclude that:

Bring me the mouse!

  • Polysemy example: can cause misunderstanding. Does it refer to the animal mouse or the computer device?
  • Hyponymy example: doesn’t cause misunderstanding. It clearly refers to the animal mouse and not the other meaning of mouse, eg the computer device

Polysemy — Key takeaways

  • Polysemy is about a single word with many related meanings.
  • The multiple polysemous word meanings are listed under one dictionary entry.
  • The opposite of polysemy is monosemy (a word that has one meaning only). All non-polysemous words are monosemous.
  • Polysemy differs from homonymy — Homonymy defines words with multiple meanings but are written and/or pronounced the same. The different meanings are unrelated, eg to address (verb) — an address (noun).
  • Polysemy also differs from hyponymy — Hyponymy refers to super- and subordinate relationships between words. One word has one meaning but can be divided into several subtypes.

¹ A. Sabatier, Shakespeare and Visual Culture, (2016).

english words with multiple meanings

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Last updated:

January 31, 2022

Once upon a time, there was a fair boy at the fair, and he was really fair!

There was also a bat flying around a bat, a friend of mine in a mine and a man with a bow bowing to an audience.

Welcome to the Polysemy (when a single word or phrase has multiple meanings) Fair where nothing is what it seems, and words get crazy different meanings just for the sake of fun.

But before you come in, you have to tell me what homophones, homographs and homonyms are.

If you do not know what they are (or even if you do!), you had better read this post before you enter the Fair unprepared and get lost forever!


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What Are Homophones, Homographs and Homonyms?

They may sound dangerous and creepy, but homophones, homographs and homonyms are part of our daily life, regardless of what your mother language is.

Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings.

When you say “I have only one eye,” however weird that sentence might sound, the words I and eye sound exactly the same, but they obviously have different meanings.

The same happens with words such as break and brake, here and hear or hour and our, just to give you a few examples.

On the other hand, homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations.

Take the verb read as an example.

The infinitive is pronounced /ri:d/ (with a long i), but the past tense and the past participle are pronounced /red/, as in the color red. They are written in the exact same way, but their pronunciations are different.

Finally, we have homonyms. They are words that either sound or are spelled identically but have different meanings.

Homonyms can be homophones, homographs or both, so to make things easy for you, we will be calling this post’s words homonyms unless stated otherwise.

Every language has homonyms, and language learners tend to have a rough time when trying to learn them.

Let’s have a look at the title of this post: The fair boy at the fair is really fair.

If it is the first time you have seen the word fair, you are probably having a language heart attack right now.

If you have seen this word before, though, you most likely know its meaning as a noun (funfair, carnival). But what about the other two? Keep reading!

There are several methods to learn the different meanings of words. You can look them up (search) in a dictionary, check an online translator or even ask a friend if they are around and able to help you.

From Fairs to Novels: 21 Everyday English Words with Multiple Meanings

The following 21 words are common English words that have different meanings and/or pronunciations. They can be a little tricky sometimes, but thanks to this post, you will be able to master them in no time. So, let the fun begin!

1. Fair

As you have already seen in the introduction, this word can have different meanings depending on whether it is a noun or an adjective. You know its meaning as a noun, and you probably also know one of its meanings as an adjective, but I am sure you would have never thought a carnival and a hair/skin color were spelled the same in English.

Meaning #1: a carnival; a public event where there are games, competitions, rides and entertainment

Also, in the United States, a fair is an event where farm products and animals are shown and judged.

The boy showed his horse and his two pigs at the state fair.

Meaning #2: treating someone right or in a way that does not favor other people

The boy at the fair is very fair with his siblings when they play games together.

Meaning #3: having light skin and/or hair

The fair boy at the fair is very fair with his siblings.

Since her skin is so fair, she has to be careful when she goes in the sun.

2. Saw

You probably know this word as the past tense of the verb to see, but did you know it can also be a tool and the infinitive of another verb?

Saw comes from the Old English word saga (to cut), but also from the Middle English word sawen (knife), hence its different meanings nowadays.

Meaning #1: a device or tool with sharp teeth, typically made of metal

He used a saw to cut the branch of the tree.

Meaning #2: to saw, to cut with a saw

He is going to saw the tree down with a saw.

Meaning #3: past tense of the verb to see.

I saw the saw he used to saw the tree down.

3. Fell

Now this one’s tricky.

A lot of my beginner students think this is the past tense of to feel, but actually it is the past tense of the verb to fall. What not many non-native speakers know is that it can also be the infinitive form of a different verb, and also a formal adjective!

Meaning 1: past tense of the verb to fall

The girl fell on the floor and started crying.

Meaning #2: to fell, to knock or cut down, to cause to fall

He used an ax to fell the tree.

Meaning #3: (formal) fierce, cruel, savage

He was imprisoned by his fell enemy.

4. Found

This word is another example of the past tense of a verb that is also the infinitive of a different verb.

Meaning #1: past tense and past participle of the verb to find (to come upon by chance, to locate)

I found a lot of old books in the attic yesterday.

Meaning #2: to found, to set up or establish, to base on, to provide a basis for

We want to found a new translation company.

5. Bow

Bow is a word that can have several different meanings. It is a homograph because the pronunciation is slightly different between the noun and verb form.  As a noun, for example, you can wear one around your neck or use one to attack someone. As a verb, you can use it to show respect.

Don’t you love English!

Meaning #1: to bow, to bend forward at the neck or waist in order to greet someone or show respect

We must all bow before the queen.

Meaning #2: a knot made by tying a ribbon into two or more loops, often referred to as bow tie

He is wearing a green bow tie.

Meaning #3: a weapon used for shooting arrows

The hunter had a bow and many arrows.

6. Crane

I still remember when I learned this word myself. I imagined a giant machine that transformed into a bird. I have never forgotten this word!

Meaning #1: a big machine with a long arm used by builders to lift or move big objects

I think we are going to need a crane to lift that statue.

Meaning #2: a tall bird that has a long neck and long legs; it lives near water

It is impossible to observe (see) a crane here. There is no water around.

7. Date

This is an easy one.

If you are a romantic person, this word will probably make you think of special occasions with a partner. If time is important for you, you will see a date as a day on a calendar. Both options are correct, but there is more!

Meaning #1: a specific day of a month or year

What is the date today?

Meaning #2: a situation where two people who have or want to have a romantic relationship do some activity together

I would love to go on a date with you.

Meaning #3: the person you go on a date with

Mary is my date for tonight.

Meaning #4: to date someone, to do some kind of activity with a person you have or want to have a romantic relationship with.

Mary and I are dating.

Meaning #5: to date something, to write the date on something

Please, do not forget to sign and date your exam.

8. Minute

Here we have a homograph. Minute is pronounced /minit/ when it refers to time. It can also refer to size, in which case it is pronounced /mai’niut/.

Meaning #1: a unit of time equal to 60 seconds

We have been waiting for 20 minutes.

Meaning #2: always in the plural (minutes), the official record of everything that is said and done during a meeting

Ms. Roche will be taking the minutes during the meeting.

Meaning #3: an adjective meaning tiny, very small

With this new device, we are able to see even the most minute particles.

9. Second

If you are interested in etymology (study of words), you will like this word!

Second has two main meanings, one referring to time and one referring to something or someone coming after first. I was surprised to find out both these meanings come from the same Latin word secundus (following, next in time or order).

Apart from being a noun, second can also be a verb.

In this case, the origin of the word is from the Latin word secundare (to assist, to make favorable).

Meaning #1: occupies the second position in a series, importance or rank

Soup is my second choice.

Meaning #2: (always plural) another serving of food taken after you have finished the first one

Do you want seconds?

Meaning #3: a unit of time equal to 1/60 of a minute

It took him 35 seconds to open the box.

Meaning #4: to second, to approve something, to agree with somebody

I am tired. Let’s go home.

I will second that.

10. Type

They say that everyone has a type, but what exactly does that mean?

You can type in different kinds of types, enjoy different types of food and have different types in reference to people. It all depends on the meaning of type you are referring to.

Meaning #1: a particular kind of thing or person

I do not like this type of food. It is too greasy.

Meaning #2: the kind of person someone likes

Bea is totally my type.

Meaning #3: the different kinds of printed letters

Please, do not use the italic type. Use bold.

Meaning #4: to type, to write with a typewriter or a computer keyboard

I can type 200 words per minute.

11. Nail

Every time I hear the word nail, I think about the program “Nailed it!,” which I really recommend you watch if you love cooking and comedy, and you want to listen to some American English to improve your language skills.

Meaning #1: a piece of metal that is sharp at one end and flat at the other, usually used to attach things to wood

I used the biggest nail I had to hang the picture frame.

Meaning #2: the hard covering at the end of our fingers and toes

Sarah gets her nails painted every Tuesday.

Meaning #3: to nail, to attach something with a nail

We need to nail those boards.

Meaning #4: (slang) to nail, to do something perfectly or in an impressive way

I nailed the final test. I am so proud of myself!

12. Bark

What do dogs and trees have in common? Dogs bark and trees have bark!

I find it very interesting that a tree’s bark and to bark come from different origin words.

The hard covering of plants probably comes from the Old Norse word börkr (bark, likely related to the word birch). The sound dogs make comes from the Old English word beorcan (to bark, to utter an abrupt, explosive cry).

Meaning #1: the outer covering of a tree

Some types of bark are very beautiful.

Meaning #2: the loud sound made by a dog

His dog gave a very loud bark.

Meaning #3: to bark (from a dog or a person), to make a short loud sound

If her dog does not stop barking, I will call the police.

Stop barking at me and try to calm down.

13. Mine

If I tell you I like to mine in this mine because it is mine, you may or may not understand what I am saying, but you will after you have a look at the following meanings of the word mine.

Meaning #1: that which belongs to me

I like to mine in this mine because it is mine.

The blue bike is mine.

Meaning #2: a tunnel from which minerals are taken

I like to mine in this mine because it is mine.

He works in a gold mine.

Meaning #3: to mine, to dig a mine or to take away from a mine

I like to mine in this mine because it is mine.

She likes to mine for crystals.

14. Season

Even though the two main meanings of the word season do not seem to be related, they have an almost common ancestor, and once you understand its origin, it totally makes sense.

Season comes from the Old French word seison (a period of the year, proper time).

To season comes from the Old French word assaisoner (to ripen, to improve the flavor of).

These two Old French words are related. When the time was right (seison), fruits and vegetables grew ripe (assaisoner), which made them more palatable (tasty). Neat!

Meaning #1: one of the four periods into which the year is divided; a particular period of time during the year.

My favorite season is winter.

It is flu season.

Meaning #2: to season, to add salt, pepper or other spices to give something more flavor

Season to taste and serve hot.

15. Bat

Did you know that Batman got his name from an animal? Have you ever seen Batman use a bat to bat someone? No, not the animal, the stick!

Notice how, similarly to nail with a nail, you can say to bat with a bat. Do you see a pattern already?

Meaning #1: a long rounded stick used to hit a ball

Mendoza gave me his baseball bat.

Meaning #2: to hit with a bat

I want to bat next.

Meaning #3: an animal with wings and a furry body

I am afraid of bats.

16. Row

The main meaning of this word is a line of people or things that are next to each other.

Additionally, row can also be a verb that means to move a boat through the water with the use of oars.

Meaning #1: a straight line of people or things that are next to each other; a row of seats (in a theater or stadium).

We are going to arrange the desks in five rows of six desks each.

Meaning #2: to row, to move a boat through water by using oars

I like to row my boat in the calm lake.

17. Water

I love looking at my students’ faces when I tell them that water can be a verb.

Indeed, as it happens with many words in English, nouns can be used as verbs. In this case, the noun water, which we all know, can be used to mean to pour water on something, as on a plant, for example.

Meaning #1: a clear liquid with no color, smell or taste that falls from clouds in the form of rain, forms seas and lakes and is used for drinking, bathing, washing, etc.

I love drinking water in the morning.

Meaning #2: to water, to pour water on something; to give an animal water to drink

Please, water my plants while I am in Spain.

18. Boot

Some of us know the verb to boot means to start a computer.

British people call the trunk of a car a boot, and Americans often use this word when talking about cowboy boots.

But there is more you can learn about this word.

Meaning #1: a covering for the foot normally made of leather or rubber

I cannot find my winter boots anywhere.

Meaning #2: the trunk of a car

They found the missing money in the boot of his car.

Meaning #3: to boot, to force to leave a place; to fire

They booted James yesterday!

Meaning #4: to boot, to lock a Denver boot onto the wheel of a car so that it cannot move.

The parking attendant booted my car.

19. Club

Club has several meanings, ranging from a group of people who participate in a specific activity to a place where you can listen to music, eat some food and drink alcohol.

Other meanings include a metal stick used in golf, a wooden stick used as a weapon and even a suit in a deck of cards! That is polysemy at its finest!

Meaning #1: a group of people who meet to participate in an activity

The chess club has 200 members already.

Meaning #2: the place where members of a club meet

I will meet you in front of the chess club at 7 p.m.

Meaning #3: a business that provides entertainment, music, food, drinks, etc.

They are opening a new dance club near your house next weekend.

Meaning #4: a metal stick used for hitting a golf ball

My daughter is using my golf clubs. Can I borrow yours?

Meaning #5: a heavy wooden stick that is used as a weapon

One of the attackers hit me with a club.

Meaning #6: (plural) one of the suits in a deck of playing cards

I got the ten of clubs.

Meaning #7: to club, to hit a person or an animal with a stick or object

He clubbed the poisonous snake in his bedroom.

20. Key

What if I told you that the main definition of the word key is just one of over a dozen?

Do not panic, I will not make you learn all the different meanings of key, but it would be awesome if you learned the main ones.

Meaning #1: a device you use to open a lock or start a car

I think I have lost my keys.

Meaning #2: something that is necessary to do or achieve something

The key to learning English is practicing every day.

Meaning #3: any of the buttons of a typewriter or computer

I love typing without looking at the keys.

Meaning #4: used as an adjective to mean extremely important

He is a key worker in our company.

Meaning #5: (informal) to key, to have the most important part in something

Marcus keyed the victory for the Eagles.

21. Novel

We normally think of books when we hear the word novel, but novel can also be used as an adjective to mean that something is new and different.

Meaning #1: a long written story, normally dealing with imaginary people and events

I have published five novels so far.

Meaning #2: new and different from what has been known before

His novel approach to the problem helped us find a solution.

Phew! There you have it, 21 everyday English words with multiple meanings!

My advice is that you learn all the different meanings of a word at once when you are acquiring (learning) new vocabulary (or expanding your word bank).

If a word is very polysemic, at least learn its main meanings. This will save you time when you come across that word again in the future.

As you have been able to see in this post, by learning just one of the meanings of a word you are leaving a lot of information behind. In order to avoid that, one of the best solutions is to spend a little more time with each word you learn.


Download:
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can take anywhere.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Words
are able to have more than one meaning, the structure of such words
is viewed in terms of polysemy. Polysemy
(from
Greek polus
– ‘many’ and sema
– ‘meaning’) means a plurality, diversity of meanings, the
existence within one word of several connected meanings as the result
of the development of its original meaning. The bulk of English words
are polysemantic ones, e.g. horse
1. an
animal …
7. (slang)
heroine. For the first 1,000 of the most frequent words registered in
the New English Dictionary 25,000 meanings are numbered. Monosemantic
words are few in number, they are mostly terms: liquidity,
adhocracy,
benchmarking.

Polysemy
is more characteristic for English as compared with Russian, due to
fixed stress and reduction of glammatical suffixes, as a result, the
predominance of root words. For example, the word man
has more than 10 meanings (See Table 4):

Table 4.

1)
a human being straight
man
,
grown man
;

2)
a member of a profession

maintenance
man
,
man of law
;

3)
an adult male human being a
man child
;

4)
an courageous or virile adult male human
being be
a man
,
a

man
of character
;

5)
human beings collectively, mankind

the
development of man
;

6)
servant, or employee

Hire
a man to take care of the garden
;

7)
a husband, boyfriend, etc. man
and wife
;

8)
a member of the armed forces

officers
and men
;

9)
a vassal of a feudal lord
the man of the Duke of Normans
;

10)
a movable piece in chess, draughts, etc.

    1. человек
      straight
      man
      ,
      grown man
      ;

    2. представитель
      к.-л.
      профессии
      maintenance
      man
      ,
      man of law
      ;

    3. мужчина
      a
      man child
      ;

    4. мужественный
      человек
      be
      a man
      ,
      a
      man
      of character
      ;

    5. человечество

the
development of man
;

    1. слуга,
      рабочий
      Hire
      a man to take care of the garden
      ;

    2. муж
      man
      and wife
      ;

    3. солдат,
      рядовой

officers
and men
;

    1. вассал
      the man of the Duke of Normans
      ;

10)
пешка,
шашка,
кость

The
system of meanings of
any
polysemantic word develops gradually, mostly over the centuries.
These complicated processes of polysemy development involve both the
appearance of the new meanings and the loss of old ones. Yet, the
general tenden­cy with the English vocabulary at the modern stage
of its history is to increase the total number of its meanings and to
provide for a quantitative and qualitative growth of the expressive
resources of the language.

Lexico-semantic
variant

is one of the individual meanings of a polysemantic word. They are
registered in dictionaries as different meaning of one and the same
word. The number of lexico-semantic variants makes a lexeme. Lexeme
is a word in all its meanings and forms, i.e. a word as a structural
element of language (invariant). LSVs are cases of content variation
within a word deprived of formal expression. There’s a
contradiction: lexico-semantic variant is a unit of content in
language, but it becomes a unit of expression in speech. For example,
saw
– пила
,
пилить
;
видел
.

The
semantic structure of a word

is a structured set of interrelated lexico-semantic variants (the
major (or basic) meaning of a word and the minor (derived) meanings).
The semantic structure of a word is the system and hierarchical unity
of all the types of meaning that a certain word possesses. In
ordinary conversation we can draw a borderline between LSVs without
difficulty considering valency, syntactic function, paradigmatic and
morphologic (number, case, etc.) peculiarities: I
ran
home
(intransitive
verb) VS
I
ran
this office
(transitive
verb).
To define the semantic structure of a word means to establish the
order of chaining and subordination of nonhomogeneous meanings and
define the means of semantic discrimination between LSVs within one
word. For example:

GEAR

1.
in cars etc [uncountable and countable] the machinery in a vehicle
such as a car, truck, or bicycle that you use to go comfortably at
different speeds: His
mountain bike had 18 gears
.
Andy drove cautiously along in third gear
.

2.
[uncountable and countable] used to talk about the amount of effort
and energy that someone is using in a situation: During
this period
,
Japan’s export industries were in top gear (=were as active as they
could be)
.

3.
American
English

to start doing something in a different way, especially using more or
less energy or effort: The
boss expects us to be able to change gear just like that
.

4.
equipment [uncountable] a set of equipment or tools you need for a
particular activity: He’s
crazy about photography — he’s got all the gear
.
We’ll need some camping gear
.

5.
clothes [uncountable] a set of clothes that you wear for a particular
occasion or activity: Bring
your rain gear
.

6.
machinery [uncountable] a piece of machinery that performs a
particular job: the
landing gear of a plane
,
heavy lifting gear
.

7.
drugs [uncountable] British
English

informal a word meaning illegal drugs, used by people who take drugs.

Diagram
3.

The
semantic structure has national character. The semantic structure of
correlated words of two different languages can never cover each
other. The major meaning is in most cases identical in two languages
but others usually differ. The meaning ‘the machinery in a vehicle’
can be found both in the English word gear
and in its Russian equivalent “привод,
шестерня”
but the meaning ‘clothes’ can’t be found in the word привод.

Radial
polysemy

is the type of polysemy in which the primary meaning of a word stands
in the centre and the secondary meanings proceed out of it like rays.
Each secondary meaning can be traced to the primary meaning. Diagram
4 below shows this type of polysemy.

Diagram
4.

In
the word tube
the primary meaning is ‘1) a long hollow and typically cylindrical
object, used for the passage of fluids or as a container: tubes
of glue
,
toothpaste
,
mayonnaise’
.
Each
secondary meaning developed directly from the primary one.

2)
any hollow cylindrical structure or organ in the body:
Eustachian tube
,
Fallopian tube
,
the bronchial tube
;

3)
in electronics another name for valve: electron
tube
,
cathode-ray tube
,
television tube
(>
tube
(TV)
– ellipsis
,
e.g.
YouTube
);

4)
slang
a bottle or can of beer: a
tube of lager
.

Chain
polysemy

is the type of polysemy in which the secondary meanings of a word
develop like chain. In such cases it may be difficult to trace some
meanings to the primary ones. This type of polysemy can be
represented with the help of Diagram 5.

Diagram
5.

In
the word crust
the primary meaning is 1) ‘the hard brown outer surface of bread:
sandwiches
with the crusts cut off
’.
Out of this meaning its secondary meanings are 2) ‘the baked outer
part of foods such as pies or pizzas: a
thin crust pizza
’,
3) ‘a thin hard dry layer on the surface of something: A
hard gray crust had formed on the bottom of the tea kettle
’,
4) ‘the hard outer layer of the Earth: deep
within the Earth’s crust
’.

Radial-chain
(mixed)
polysemy
is
a combination of radial polysemy and chain polysemy. Here the
configuration of a diagram depends on the word semantic structure,
hence there’s a great variety of diagrams illustrating this type of
polysemy. The meanings of the word gear
make the polysemy of this type.

Due to the achievements of the
componential analysis attempts have been made to establish the
relationships between different meanings of a polysemantic word on
the basis of a common semantic component through which they are
connected with each other in synchrony. From this viewpoint there are
three kinds of relations between the meanings of a polysemantic word:
intersection, inclusion and semantic homonymy.

In
case of intersection
all meanings have one common semantic component which unites them,
and at the same time each meaning has its own semantic part which is
its differential feature. E.g. the adjective barren
has five meanings:

1)
incapable of producing offspring, seed, or fruit; sterile a
barren tree
,
barren soil
,
barren woman
;

2)
unable to support the growth of crops, etc.; unproductive; bare
barren
land
;

3)
lacking in stimulation or ideas; dull a
rather barren play
,
barren
discussion
;

4)
not producing worthwhile results; unprofitable a
barren period in a writer’s life
,
barren scheme
;

5)
(followed by of) totally lacking (in); devoid (of) his
speech was barren of wit
,

barren
of ideas
,
barren of interest
.

These
meanings have a common semantic feature ‘not producing’, in which
they are intersected. This type of polysemy can be represented with
the help of Diagram 6.

Diagram
6.

Inclusion
as a type of relationship between the meanings of a polysemantic word
takes place in those cases when one of the meanings is more
complicated and broader than the other: it includes the semantic
features of that meaning and at the same time it has its own semantic
part. The word skinhead
has two meanings:

1) a closely cropped
hairstyle;

2) a member of a group of
White youths, noted for their closely cropped hair, aggressive
behaviour, and overt racism.

Here
the second meaning includes and presupposes the first one. This type
of polysemy can be represented with the help of Diagram 7.

Diagram
7.

Semantic
homonymy

as a type of relationships between the meanings of a polysemantic
words takes place when the meanings have lost a semantic connection
between each other and have no common semantic features, but still
remain to be the meanings of the same polysemantic word. In such
cases the last secondary meanings have nothing to do with the primary
ones, especially if there are very many other meanings between them.
This phenomenon can be illustrated by the word pride.
Its primary meaning is ‘a feeling of deep pleasure or
satisfaction derived from one’s own achievements’. It’s very hard
to find any semantic connection between this primary meaning and one
of its secondary meanings – ‘a group of lions forming a social
unit’ (OxfordDictionary
(En-En) (for ABBYY Lingvo x 3 Multilingual)
,
which gives grounds for some dictionaries LingvoUniversal
(En-Ru) (ABBYY Lingvo x 3 Multilingual)

to consider them as the meanings of two homonymous words.

Polysemy
is created by social need for economy. Context helps to individualize
the meanings and bring them out, however, it doesn’t create
polysemy, but only reveals it: The
translation has been faithfully made by a distinguished
pen.
Must
I
walk
the dog now? Do you know how to
work
the photocopier?

Context

the semantically complete passage of speech sufficient to establish
the meaning of a given word (phrase); the minimal stretch of speech
determining each individual meaning of the word.

Contexts can be of two types:
linguistic (verbal) and extra-linguistic (non-verbal).

Linguistic contexts may be
subdivided into:

  • phonetical
    context: there
    is;

  • morphological
    context: studied,
    worked
    ,
    listened;

  • lexical
    (semantic)
    context

    – a semantic or thematic class of words used in combination with
    the key-word and reflecting the relationships between objects and
    phenomena existing in reality. For example, the meanings of heavy
    can be analyzed through its collocability with the words weight,
    safe
    ,
    table
    ,
    load

    (‘of great weight’); snow,
    wind
    ,
    rain
    ,
    storm

    (‘abundant, striking, falling with force’); industry, artillery,
    arms (‘the larger kind of smth’). More examples, hard
    life
    ,
    hard stone
    ;
    hostile

    looks,
    hostile
    troops
    .

The
word meaning is established by the context
analysis

method. For example, the noun mouth
is realized in the meaning ‘opening through which animals take food
in; space behind this containing the tongue, etc.’ in combination
with the semantic indicator dog,
which embraces the semantic feature ‘animal’ in its lexical
meaning. The other meaning of the word mouth
‘opening
or outlet’ is realized together with the semantic indicators
bag
,
cave
,
river
,
etc.,
united by the seme ‘inanimate’. Thus, the choice of meaning of
the nucleus word depends on the lexical meanings of the indicating
word;


phrasal
(phraseological)
context

– phraseological units in which the constituent words make up one
semantic whole and usually do not realize any of their systemic
(language) meanings but all together render some figurative meaning,
e.g. to
have a bee in one’s bonnet

(‘to have some kind of obsession’), lose
one’s heart to

smb
(‘fall in love with’);


syntactic
(grammatical)
context

– syntactic (grammatical) structure that serves to determine
various individual meanings of a polysemantic word, for example,
crooked
(adj)
man
stood in my way VS. The road crooked
(v)
between the hills. The meaning of the verb to
see

– ‘to perceive with the eyes’ is found in the syntactic context
possessing the syntactic structure ‘to see + direct object’:
I shall
see your
house.
Another meaning of this verb ‘to accompany or escort’ is observed
in the context of different syntactic structure ‘to
see + direct object + adverbial modifier of place’: I
shall see
you
to
your
h
ouse.

And the meaning ‘take care (of something)’ is realized in the
syntactic structure ‘to see + indirect object with prepositions to
or after’: I
shall see

to
your
house.

There
are cases when the meaning of a word is ultimately determined by the
actual speech situation in which the word is used, i.e. by
extra-linguistic
context
.
Linguistic context is sometimes not enough to establish the word
meaning, so some misunderstanding takes place, e.g. in
the sentence He
is perfectly sound
,
the
meaning of the word sound
is clearly ambiguous as it has two readings
‘financially
secure’ and ‘not damaged, injured, or diseased’. To establish
one of the meanings some extension is required, like
and has a good credit history
.

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José is in his third and final week with me on a home stay full immersion course and has come to the conclusion that the English Language is extremely confusing and frustrating! Especially when it comes to all those words that have multiple meanings. I have to confess that he has got a point.

Take the word “run” for example. It has 179 meanings according to Dictionary.com whilst the word “take” has 127 definitions! The following infographic that was compiled by Kaplan International together with Dictionary.com highlights the 10 English words with the most meanings in the English Language. You can view this infographic here on the Kaplan website.

Kaplan has taken each word and categorised them according to the different parts of speech, for example, verb, noun, adverb, adjective and so on as well as verb phrases and idioms. As this list is very long, I’ve decided to break this list in two parts.

Part 1 will deal with the first 5 words. I’ve shown some examples of the different verb and noun meanings and verb phrases for each word.

1. RUN

Verb

  • My dog loves to run about in the park (move quickly with legs)
  • She runs a very successful business (manages)
  • The bus company runs a regular weekend service (offer a service)
  • Don’t leave your car engine running/ try running the computer programme and see if it works (machine: working)

Noun

  • I always go for a 10k run in the mornings.
  • The play has had a successful run in the West End. (a period of time)
  • I do the school run every morning and my husband does it in the afternoon (a journey that a train, ship, car and so on does regularly)

Verb Phrases

  • Her withdrawal meant that her opponent was given a clear run for the nomination (you can progress without anyone stopping you)
  • He gave Tom a good run for his money (competing so well with someone that they cannot defeat you)
  • He is on the run from the law (trying to escape or hide from the police)

2. TAKE

Verb

  • Don’t forget to take an extra pair of shoes (move something or someone from one place to another)
  • Take a deep breath  James took a sip of his drink  I took a quick look at the audience (to perform an action or series of actions)
  • I took a course in origami at college  I’ve taken my driving test three times (to study or take an exam in a particular subject)

Verb Phrases

  • I like chocolate but I can take it or leave it (to not care whether you have, see or do something – informal)
  • It takes all sorts (used for saying that you find someone’s behaviour surprising or strange but will accept it – spoken)
  • Take it from me, this restaurant is excellent. (used to emphasize that what you’re saying is true and people should believe it – spoken)

 3. BREAK

Verb

  • Be careful  that you don’t break those glasses (separate into pieces by dropping)
  • If you break the speed limit, the penalties are high break the law. (don’t obey rules or the law)
  • When the news first broke, he was no where to be found breaking news ( if news breaks, it becomes publicly known)
  • Why don’t we break now and meet again after lunch? (stop what you’re doing for a period of time)

Noun

  • Doctors and nurses often work very long hours without a break ◆ Let’s take/have a break.
  • This could be the lucky break he’s always wanted (an opportunity that helps you achieve success)
  • She decided to make the break from marketing after eighteen years (a time of major change in one’s life).

Verb Phrases

  • He’s been breaking his back getting the house ready in time for the baby’s arrival (working very hard)
  • I think we’ve broken the back of this project now. (British English – to finish the hardest part of a task)
  • In their first year, the company broke even. (when a company doesn’t make a profit or a loss)
  • I want to break free (as sung by Freddy Mercury – to escape from someone or something that is holding you or controls you)

4. TURN

Verb

  • She turned around and smiled at me (change position)
  • When you get to the junction, turn right (change direction)
  • She could not concentrate on her book. All she seemed to be doing was turning the pages without reading them.
  • After years as an amateur dancer, she turned professional ( change and do something different)
  • It has turned cold again ( change and become something else)

Noun

  • Oh no, is it my turn again to wash the dishes?! ◆ Is it my turn to roll the dice? (in a group and it’s your time to do something)
  • The debate over drugs in sport took an unexpected turn yesterday ◆ The situation took a turn for the better/worse (a change in a situation)
  • He took the wrong turn and that took him miles away from his destination (change of direction)

Verb Phrases

  • He was stopped at every turn by the rigid rules (wherever or whenever someone tries to do something)
  • He did her a good turn by offering her the job (an action that helps someone – also applies in the opposite “a bad turn”)
  • I hope I’m not speaking out of turn, but I preferred the original version (to say something that you shouldn’t say in case you offend someone or you have no right to say it)
  • The mansion was built at the turn of the century ( the time at the end of one century and the beginning of the next)

5. SET 

Verb

  • “Tea is served,” he told them and set the tray on the table. (put something in a position)
  • I’ve set the alarm for 6am ◆ You can set the iPhone so that it does an automatic backup (to make equipment ready)
  • Have you set a date for the wedding? (to decide when something will happen)
  • The Bank of England sets the interest rate ◆ They set the price of the house too high. (to decide the price or value of something)
  • I have set the team three challenges/goals/objectives/tasks (to give someone something to achieve)

Noun

  • a set of keys  a set of guidelines  a complete set  a chess set ( a group of things)
  • the literary set  the jet set a set of friends (a group of people that share the same interests)
  • a film set  a stage set (theatre, film – place where a film or play is made)

Verb Phrases

  • The drivers’ demands were not met, setting the stage for a prolonged transport strike (create the conditions for something to happen)
  • They are a company that has set the standard for excellence in service (perform an activity to a level that other people need to achieve)
  • Dinner will be ready soon. Could you please set the table? (put cutlery and plates on the table)
  • After lunch I set to work on the mountain of paperwork on my desk (start working in a determined and enthusiastic way)

The above examples are just a few that I have selected here. Please do share with me any other meanings you know and use.

I will deal with the other five words in my next post (Part 2) so look out for it!

If you liked this post, please share it and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog if you don’t want to miss out on my posts.

Ciao for now

Shanthi

Download 500+ English Phrases

A number of English words are spelled the same way and pronounced the same way, but have different meanings.

Easy Vocabulary Words

bark

The noun bark refers to the outer covering of a tree. The verb bark refers to the sound a dog makes.

Beginning English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

nails

The hard parts on your fingers and toes are your nails (you can also say fingernails and toenails, more specifically). Nails are also thin, sharp metal pieces used in construction.

Beginning English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

jam

Beginning English Vocabulary Words with Multiple MeaningsThe noun jam means a sweet paste made out of fruit. It is also called jelly.

The verb jam means to put something into a space that is too small for it. For example you would jam a week’s worth of clothes into a small backpack.

traffic jam is when the cars on the road are very slow or stopped.

pool

pool (or swimming pool) is a man-made area of water, for swimming. Pool also refers to a game where you try to put the colored and numbered balls into the holes around the edges of the table. It can also be called billiards.

Beginning English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

mine

Beginning English Vocabulary Words with Multiple MeaningsThe word mine is a possessive adjective. For example, “The blue car is mine.

Mine is also a noun. It can refer to the place where minerals are dug out of the earth (this activity is called mining, and the people who do it are called miners).

mine or landmine also refers to a bomb that is buried underground; it will explode when someone steps on it or drives over it. These are used in war.

Intermediate Vocabulary Words

bolt

bolt is a type of metal fastener. The word bolt is also used for a single ray of lightning (a lightning bolt). Finally, bolt is a verb meaning to run extremely fast.

Intermediate English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

season

season (noun) is a period of the year with a particular climate/weather (spring, summer, fall, winter). The verb season means to apply spices or flavorings to food. These spices or flavorings are called seasonings. For example, you might season a chicken before roasting it in the oven.

Intermediate English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

novel

Intermediate English Words with Multiple Meaningsnovel (noun) is a fictional book of significant length.

The word novel can also be used as an adjective to mean especially new, unusual, or different. For example, a novel approach to solving a problem.

draft

The noun draft refers to a current of air into an enclosed space. For example, if there’s a space under your front door, there will be a draft in the house and it might get cold.

Draft as a noun also refers to a version of a document, plan, or drawing. A rough draft is a version that has not yet been revised, and the final draft is the final version of it.

If a country has a draft, it means the citizens must obligatorily participate in the military. Draft can also be a verb in this case – a person can be drafted to serve in the military.

english-vocabulary-words-draft

squash

The word squash refers to a family of vegetables that have hard exterior shells, and we eat the inside part. The picture shows just one type of squash; there are many.

Squash is also an indoor sport played with rackets and a ball.

Finally, the verb squash means to crush something (compress/destroy it with pressure). You would squash a spider if you saw it crawling across your kitchen floor. If you put something heavy on top of your bread when loading your grocery bags, the bread would get squashed.

Intermediate English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

Advanced Vocabulary Words

buckle

english-vocabulary-words-buckleThe word buckle refers to a metal clasp, such as one found on a belt. Buckle is also a verb meaning to close/fasten such a clasp. For example, you should buckle your seatbelt when you get into the car. (The opposite is unbuckle).

The other meaning for the word buckle is to collapse, especially under a lot of weight or pressure. For example, a person’s legs might buckle if they faint (become unconscious). If you buckle under the stress or your job, it means you break down emotionally.

current

The adjective current describes something that is modern or happening now.

Current as a noun refers to the direction and speed of flow of a liquid (such as water in the ocean or in a river), gas, or electricity.

Advanced English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

harbor

A harbor (noun) is a sheltered area of water that is deep enough so that ships can anchor there.

The verb harbor means to provide shelter. For example, it is a crime to harbor a fugitive (a criminal who is running away from the police or legal authorities). You can also harbor negative feelings such as resentment or a grudge, meaning to keep those feelings alive inside you.

Advanced English Words with Multiple Meanings

hatch

Hatch (verb) refers to the process of a baby bird coming out of its egg.

A hatch (noun) is an opening in the floor, ceiling, or wall of a ship or aircraft, often having a door on hinges.

Advanced English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

racket

racket is a piece of sports equipment containing a round frame and netting – used in tennis, squash, badminton, and other games.

The noun racket also means loud, often chaotic noise. For example, how can I study when the party next door is making a racket?

Advanced English Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

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