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
- 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
- no picnic–This means something is difficult and not pleasant. I’m glad I moved, but making all the preparations was no picnic.
- 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.
In English language, there are many words that spell the same but differ in meaning as per their usage. These are also called homographs. Based on their usage and functions, words are categorized into eight parts of speech. These words change their meaning in accordance to their usage. However the change in the meaning of the word occurs only when the word is used as a noun, adjective, verb and adverb.
To understand this better, let us look at some examples:
CLEAN
- The cottage needs a good clean.
- He clean forgot about dropping the letters in the post box.
- The entertainment was good clean fun for the whole family.
- He cleaned up his act and came off drugs.
In the above example, we have used the word clean and used it in 4 different sentences, each signifying a different meaning, along with its usage as different parts of speech.
Sentence A — The cottage needs a good clean. The word clean in this sentence means the act or an instance of cleaning. Since this is an act, hence it is a noun.
Sentence B — He clean forgot about dropping the letters in the post box. The meaning of the word clean in this sentence is completely, and since it is modifying the word forgot which a verb (action word) is, it is an adverb.
Sentence C — The entertainment was good clean fun for the whole family. In this case, the meaning of the word clean is fit for everyone, nothing obscene. The word in this case is modifying fun, which is a noun; hence the word here is an adjective.
Sentence D — He cleaned up his act and came off drugs. In this case the word cleans means to rid of undesirable features. Clean has been used to denote an action, and hence in this case it is a verb.
LIGHT
- The new lamp had good light for reading.
- Magnesium is a light metal.
- Rahul likes to travel light.
- The choice lighted on me.
Sentence A — The new lamp had good light for reading. In this the word light is being is used to mean a particular quality or type of light. And also it has been used as a noun.
Sentence B — Magnesium is a light metal. In this the word is used to mean having relatively low density, also since it is used to describe the word metal which is a noun, it is an adjective.
Sentence C — Rahul likes to travel light. In this, the word light means little equipment, baggage, etc.
Sentence D — the choice lighted on me. In this the word light is used to denote an action thus it is verb and it means to strike or fall on.
Some of the similar kinds of words are:
LOVE
We love you. (Here, love is a verb as it is showing the action in terms of expressing an emotion)
Love is blind. (Here, Love is a noun as it is a name of an emotion)
WATER
We drink water. (Here, water is a noun as it is name of the thing)
They water the plants. (Here, water is a verb as here it means giving water to plants i.e. an action)
This is a water pipe. (Here, water is a adjective as it is describing pipe which is a noun)
ABOVE
The heavens showered blessings from above. (Here, ‘above’ is used as a noun)
She is above average in intelligence. (Here, above is a preposition as here it is showing the position or the status of the pronoun ‘she’)
Analyze the above sentence. (Here, above is an adjective as it telling something about the noun ‘sentence’)
FAST
He did not take anything during the fast. (It names something, so it is a noun)
Muslims fast during Ramazan. (This is an activity, so fast is a verb)
She speaks fast. (This becomes adverb here as it is describing a verb i.e. )
BACK
I have pain in the back. (It is a noun here)
I will come back in 5 minutes. (It is an adverb here, as it describes verb- come)
Have you closed the back door.(It is describing a noun-door, so it is an adjective)
He backed his car through the gate. (Back is used as a verb here)
NEAR
He lives near the station. (Near is a preposition here)
He got nervous as the examinations neared. (Here, it is a verb)
Most of my near relatives live abroad. (Here, it is used as an adjective for noun-relatives)
I went near enough to see over it. (Near is an adverb here which described enough)
Thus from these examples it is implicit that with different usage, the same word in English language can have different meanings.
Shutterstock
- There are lots of English language words that are spelled the same but have different meanings.
- A baseball bat and the nocturnal animal bat are good examples of a «homonym.»
- An airy wind and «to wind down» are homographs, too.
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It’s no secret that the English language can be tricky. For anyone learning the language, it’s difficult to grasp all the drastic differences a single word can have.
People most get tripped up on words that are too similar. When words are spelled the same and sound the same but have different meanings, then they are called homonyms. When they are just spelled the same but sound different and have different meanings, then they are homographs.
Here are some of the most popular homonyms and homographs in the English language.
Bat
Shutterstock
When used as a noun, a bat could be a winged, nocturnal animal or a piece of sporting equipment used in baseball. It can also be used as a verb when a player goes up to bat during a baseball game.
Compact
Shutterstock
When used as an adjective, «compact» means small, but when used as a verb, it means to make something smaller. It can also be used as a noun when talking about a small case for makeup.
Desert
Janelle Lugge/Shutterstock
As a noun, «desert» is a dry, barren area of land where little rain occurs. When used as a verb, the word means to abandon a person or cause.
Fair
ThomasPhoto/Shutterstock
The word «fair» has a few meanings when used as different parts of speech. When used as an adjective, it can describe someone as agreeable, but it can also describe someone who has light skin or hair. As a noun, a «fair» is typically a local event that celebrates a certain person, place, or historical moment.
Lie
Getty
«Lie» could mean to lay down and to tell something untruthful when used as an adjective. If used as a noun, it is a false statement.
Lead
Shutterstock
The word «lead» could be the verb that means to guide someone or something, while the noun version of the word pertains to the metal.
Minute
Maridav/Shutterstock
The word «minute» can be a measure of time or a measurement of how small something is.
Refuse
Susana Vera/Reuters
To decline or accept something is the verb form of «refuse,» while garbage is the noun form.
Project
Shutterstock
The word «project» has several meanings as a verb. It could mean to plan, to throw, or to cast an image on a surface. As a noun, it is a task or piece of work.
Second
Buda Mendes/ Getty
Like the word «minute,» «second» is another measurement of time, while it can also denote the placement of something after the first.
Fine
Flickr/Charleston’s The Digitel
The word «fine» has several meanings, including two different adjectives. First, it can be used to describe something as high quality and second, it can describe something especially thin. As a noun, «fine» means a payment for a violation.
Entrance
Danny Lawson — WPA Pool/Getty Images
When pronounced slightly differently, the word «entrance» has multiple meanings. As a noun, an entrance is a point of access and entry. It could also be used to describe a dramatic arrival, like a bride at her wedding. However, as a verb, to entrance means to bewitch and delight.
Clip
Alexander Baxevanis/Flickr
The verb form of «clip» can actually get quite confusing. The word can actually mean to cut something apart or to attach together. The word even has a noun form, which is an object that helps attach two things.
Overlook
Colin D. Young/Shutterstock
To overlook means to fail to notice something, but when the word is used as a noun, it is a place where you can look down and see from a higher vantage point.
Consult
Mandate Pictures
«Consult» is another one of those tricky words that have two different meanings and they are opposites of each other. «To consult» can mean to seek advice or to give professional advice.
Row
REUTERS/Erik De Castro
As a noun, a «row» means a fight or disagreement. It could also refer to how something is organized into a line. As a verb, «to row» means to propel a boat forward.
Discount
Mike Kemp/ Getty
As a noun, «discount» is a reduction in price and can also be used as a synonym to «on sale.» But when used as a verb, the word means to underestimate someone or something and give them no value.
Wind
Wikimedia Commons
A subtle difference in pronunciation completely changes the word «wind.» It can refer to a flow of air or it can mean to turn.
Contract
Sean Gallup/Getty Images
When used as a noun, «contract» is a written or verbal agreement, but when used as a verb, it means to acquire or to get.
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minuses
1) If the screen image is bad, you can spoil your eyes.
2) You waste much time while looking through different numerous ads.
3) Very often some interesting shows are on late at night at inconvenient time.
4) Very often the shows are silly and dull.
5) Too many soap operas and few serious educative and interesting films.
pluses
1) you may listen and watch home news as well as world news.
2) you can watch scientific and educational programmes or movies.
3) you may relax watching entertaining shows and programmes.
4) there are special programmes for different people, for example, for those who love to cook, or to knit, or to travel and much more.
5) there are also programmes for people of different age: Healthy Life style for elderly people and for children they show funny cartoons, which they like very much.
На стенах дворца снега)
если неправильно сори)))
1//gone
2//been
3//been
4//gone
5//gone
gone-ушел,уехал
been-был,вернулся.
Бес предложения будет а милк
Bright
1. Яркий
There is bright colour.
2. Умный
There is bright people.