One word having different meanings

Homographs are words that have the same form but have different meanings. That means that they look or are spelled the same. But depending on the context in which they are used, they mean differently.

Homographs can be one of the most confusing things to encounter if you are not a native English speaker. You may be reading an article or a book, then you see a word you thought you knew the meaning of. But in what you are reading, it does not make any sense!

The best way to master homographs is to understand their different meanings so that they make sense when you come across them in different texts. Here are 14 homographs that you are likely to run into, the different meanings they can take, and examples of how they are used for each definition.

Address

As a noun, address refers to (1) the particulars of a place where someone or something is situated. It can also mean (2) a formal speech delivered to an audience, such as announcing, presenting, etc.

As a verb, address can be defined as three different things: (3) to write the name and address of an intended recipient of a letter, package, etc., (4) to speak to a person formally, or (5) to think about and deal with an issue or problem.

Examples:

1. I need the address of Uncle Tom, so I know where to send the mail.
2. The president gave his State of the Nation Address last week.
3. Mary addressed the letter to Troy, her new pen pal.
4. I always address my professors with respect; I often call them “Sir” or “Ma’am” when talking to them.
5. We found three issues on the website that we need to address.

Balance

Balance as a noun can mean (1) the even distribution of the weight of an object, (2) a condition where elements are equal in proportion (e.g., stability of one’s mental health), (3) the apparatus for weighing, or (4) a figure (number) that represents the difference between credits and debits in an account.

As a verb, balance can be defined as (5) keeping something in a steady position, so it does not fall, (6) comparing the value of things, or (7) comparing debits and credits to make sure they are equal.

Examples:

1. You have to keep your balance so that you do not fall.
2. People must keep a good balance between work and their personal lives.
3. She placed the objects on balance to see if they both weigh the same.
4. You still have a balance of $34 in your account.
5. I watched a lady on television balance an apple on her head for five minutes straight!
6. You have to balance the pros against the cons of taking this project.
7. Every year, our accountant has to balance the books to make sure all of our finances are correct.

Content

As a noun, content means (1) the substance of a website, article, etc., or (2) something that is contained (usually as “contents,” i.e., in plural). It also refers to (3) the state of being contented or satisfied as an adjective and (4) the action of appeasing one’s desires into contentment as a verb.

Examples:

1. There is a lot of free content online.
2. She threw away the contents of her bag after her hand lotion spilled all over everything.
3. Hannah is perfectly content with her life in the country.
4. The group contented themselves with a big dinner and a couple of drinks.

Date

Date can refer to (1) the time something happens, (2) an appointment to meet at a specific time (or to set such an appointment), usually in a romantic sense, or (3) to mark with a date as defined by (1).

Examples:

1. May 12, 2007, is a special date for me because it was the day my father came home from the military.
2. I have a date with the girl I met at the coffee shop the other day.
3. The package was dated September 5th, so delivery was very slow.

Even

The word even can mean (1) having a horizontal surface or (2) being equal or fair. It is also often used as an adverb to emphasize different sentences by stressing (3) an unlikely instance or (4) a comparison.

Examples:

1. I do not think the table is even because my keys keep slipping.
2. There was an even split of responsibilities within the team.
3. The task is so simple even a toddler can do it.
4. Carrie did an even better job than Perry.

Just

Just, as an adjective, means similar to (1) right or fair, especially in the moral sense. As an adverb, it is used the same way as (2) exactly, (3) very recently, (4) by a little, or (5) only.

Examples:

1. We aim to live in a just and democratic society.
2. This cake is just what I needed to be in a good mood.
3. She just left the cafe before you arrived.
4. Marcel won the competition by just five points.
5. We went out for drinks just because Angela wanted to.

Lead

To lead means to (1) cause someone or something to move by your guidance or (2) to have the top place in a competition. As a noun, it can refer to (3) the chief part in a play or movie, (4) the leash that is used to guide pets, or (5) the metal that is commonly found in pencils.

Examples:

1. The usher will lead you to your seat.
2. My team was led by five points before our star player was taken out because of an injury.
3. Tessa is playing the lead in the play: Lady Macbeth.
4. Polly bought her dog’s new leads so they could walk in the park again.
5. My parents always warned me to be careful of the lead-in pencils.

Minute

The word minute is often associated with time, referring to (1) a period of sixty seconds in an hour. But it can also refer to (2) a summarized record of the proceedings in a meeting. As an adjective, it also means (3) extremely small (in this way, it is pronounced as “my-nyut”).

1. Give me thirty minutes to get ready.
2. Bree is the secretary, so she is in charge of taking down the minutes of the meeting.
3. There is a very minute chance that Ella will move to Europe.

One

One is (1) the first number in the cardinal system. But the word can also be used as an adjective to describe something that is (2) unified.

Examples:

1. Greg has one daughter and one son, so two children in total.
2. We are one team, and we must play like it!

Play

Play is a verb that means (1) to engage in an activity for enjoyment and recreation, (2) to take part in a sport, or (3) to perform a musical instrument. But it can also be a noun that refers to (4) a theatrical work for the stage.

Examples:

1. The kids are playing in the garden.
2. Pedro plays basketball every afternoon at the gym.
3. Jenna plays the harp very beautifully.
4. My wife and I will watch a play called “The Family” tonight at our local theatre.

Record

The noun record refers to (1) a thing that holds evidence of the past or (2) a thin disk that carries the music. On the other hand, as a verb, record means (3) to set everything in writing or (4) to convert sound into permanent form, particularly for later reproduction.

Examples:

1. My mom keeps a record of all my school achievements in a neat scrapbook.
2. I found a record of Michael Jackson’s album in my parents’ things.
3. The stenographer records everything that has been said in the courtroom then prints them out later on.
4. We recorded my grandfather’s voice and placed it in a music box for my grandmother.

Sign

As a noun, the word sing refers to (1) an object or event whose presence indicates the occurrence of something else or (2) a gesture used to convey information. As a verb, sign means (3) to use actions to convey a message or (5) to affix one’s signature.

Examples:

1. My boyfriend gives me gifts as a sign of his love.
2. There is a sign that says, “Do not cross..”
3. She signed to me saying that she wanted to leave.
4. Please sign at the bottom of the page to give your consent.

Top

The word top can refer to (1) the highest point of something, (2) a lid, cover, or cap, or (3) a traditional spinning toy. It can also mean (4) the highest position if used as an adjective. Top can also be used as a verb, meaning (5) to be more than or (6) to provide with a topping (i.e., in cooking).

Examples:

1. My lifelong dream is to reach the top of Mount Everest.
2. Remember to put the top on the jar before you place it in the fridge.
3. My grandmother gave me her old top, and I have just been spinning it the whole day.
4. Mr. Roberts is the top boss at the company, so we have to treat him with the utmost respect.
5. She topped the list of examinees this year.
6. Ollie topped the cake with some icing and sprinkles.

Watch

To watch means (1) to look at or observe something for a long time. But it can also refer to (2) a small timepiece typically worn on one’s wrist.

Examples:

1. Would you like to watch a movie with me?
2. I am giving my brother a new watch for his birthday because he is always late!

Homographs can be confusing. But it can be made easier with the right guidance from a teacher. LingualBox, a one-on-one English tutoring platform, has many professional tutors who can help you master the English language. Book a class today to get started!

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The English language is a mystery to many non-speakers. This is largely due to the contradictions within the language itself, such as English words that have opposite definitions despite being spelled the same way. If you’re an English speaker, you do not pay much attention to these things. But for English language learners, these types of words add to their confusion with the language.

Do you know what the words that are spelled similarly and have two different meanings are called? They are called contronyms. The simplest explanation is that they are words that have opposite meanings.

Several nyms comprise the English language. Words that mean the same thing are synonyms. Words that sound the same but have different spelling, such as pear and pair are homonyms. Antonyms are the opposite meaning of a word. Heteronyms are words spelled similarly but pronounced differently.

What is a contronym?

A contronym is one word that has opposite meanings, which depends on the context of its use. It seems illogical that one word can have two different meanings, which can be the exact opposite of the other at times. For example, the word cleave means to cling, to adhere or to stick to something or someone. But it can also mean to cut, to split or to separate.

A contronym has other names, too. Some people call it contronym while others refer to it as autoantonym. More descriptive terms include antilogy, self-antonym, enantiodrome and antagonym. There’s still another term that many people use to refer to contronyms – Janus words. It was derived from Janus, an Italian deity of old, said to be heaven’s doorkeeper whose head has two faces, one in front and one at the back.

Development of English words with opposite meanings

The English language continues to evolve, including its parts. People, especially native speakers of English use contronyms in their daily conversation, but it may be tricky for learners of the language.

Contronyms develop over time as a result of constant use. For example, according to its etymology, the word blunt used to mean obtuse (person) or dull (weapons, tools) when it was used from the 12^th century to the late 14^th century. But around the 1580s, it became a word to mean sharp, referring to abrupt manner or speech, which takes on the context of making an unceremoniously made or direct comment. Another example is the word bolt, an Old English term whose original meaning (as a verb) is to fix or fasten something. Centuries later, bolt is also used to mean spring into sudden action, which could have been derived from bolt (noun) that refers to a missile or projectile such as an arrow.

One vital thing for English language learners to remember is to understand the context in using a word so that they will not make the mistake of saying something that is contradictory to the intended meaning.

This knowledge is essential in interpretation and translation as well. If a contronym is used in a different context, it can distort the whole meaning of the conversation or a sentence. If you need translation or interpreting services, ensure that you collaborate with a professional and native-speaking translator or interpreter, so as to avoid these types of mistakes.

The development of contronyms is also due to pronunciation changes through the years. Let’s look at the word cleave again. It means to join together and to split apart. It came from two Old English words, cleofan (split apart, separate) and cleofian (also clifian, cliofian) (adhere, stick together). Through years of use, the two words started to sound the same and later merged to become cleave.

Here’s another interesting one. Let is a word that used to mean stop, delay, obstruct, impede. It came from the Old English term lettan. Another Old English word, lætan means to leave undone, leave behind, bequeath or to allow. The original words later formed the contronym, let.

In some cases, the difference is the variant of English one uses creates the contronyms. In a parliamentary procedure, to table a bill means that the bill could be discussed, considered or reconsidered in British English. In American English however, it means to suspend or postpone the consideration.

Examples of contronyms

If you love languages, you’ll have fun with contronyms. But for many people, it can be confusing. So instead of getting confused, here are some examples of contronyms, which could be words that you use every day or see often. You may not even realize that you are using them in two different contexts because you are so used to them.

1. Sanction is either to impose a penalty on something or give official approval or permission.
2. You use left when you mean someone or something is still remaining (this is what’s left of the bunch), but it can also be used to mean someone departed (left the party, group, team, etc.).
3. You dust the furniture to remove dirt. You can also dust, in the context of applying it, such as dusting a cake with powdered sugar.
4. When you seed a cucumber, you are removing its seeds. When you seed your lawn, you are adding  seeds (grass) to the soil.
5. Trim can mean to cut or remove irregularities or outgrowth (plants, trees) or reduce the length of your hair. But you can also use the word to mean embellishing or decorating something, such as a Christmas tree.
6. When you mean something or someone is moving rapidly, you say it or she/he is fast. In terms of fabric color, it means that the dye will not run. It can also mean something is unmoving or fixed.
7. Off, when used as an adjective can mean something is not in operation or is deactivated, such as the stove is off or the light is off. It can also mean activated (the alarm went off) as well. As an adverb, it can denote distance in relation to space and time (the dinghy is two kilometers off the shore) or moving from a position or place (drove off, went off to work, event is still two weeks off).
8. Weather is an atmospheric condition, but it could mean enduring, as in weathered the economic downturn, or worn away, just like weathered wood or rock.
9. You can either screen to hide or block out an ugly view or corner, or use it to mean show (film/movie), test or sort.
10. Clip can mean bind things together, such as sheets of paper. It can also mean to separate or cut away or a part, as in clip your fingernails, clip the wings.
11. Centuries back, flog meant to whip, cane or beat a person or animal. In today’s application, it is used as a sales term, as in persistently promote something (such as a book).
12. The word hold can either mean to support something or someone, but it can also mean hinder, arrest or confine.
13. When you say toss, it can either mean discarding something, but it can also mean suggesting (like toss out an idea).
14. The military term anabasis means military retreat as well as military advance.

Here are more contronyms for you to use:

• Aught (nothing, all)
• Chuffed (annoyed, pleased)
• Consult (give advice, seek advice)
• Custom (special, usual)
• Dollop (small amount, large amount)
• Enjoin (prohibit, prescribe)
• Garnish (curtail wages, enhance food)
• Give out (stop production, produce)
• Grade (level, incline)
• Handicap (disadvantage e.g. physical or mental condition, advantage)
• Mean (excellent, average)
• Put out (generate, extinguish)
• Strike (miss, hit)
• Transparent (obvious, invisible)
• Unbending (relaxing, rigid)
• Wind up (start up, end)
• Story (factual, untrue account)
• Scan (skim, scrutinize)
• Refrain (stop an action, repeat an action, e.g, song refrain)
• Oversight (close control and scrutiny, accidental error or omission)
• Overlook (place to see things from above, miss seeing things or details)
• Peruse (read in a cursory or casual way, go over something attentively)

Remember that when using contronyms, you have to be aware of the words’ context, to ensure that you are relaying the right message.

Assurance of right context and correct definitions

The job of a professional translator is to provide an accurate translation of a source document into any language, which also includes careful consideration of the context of the message to ensure its proper delivery. At Day Translations, Inc. we work only with native speakers, to ensure the quality of the language. Our translators live in-country, so they are not only fluent in the language, but they are also fully knowledgeable of the culture of their country. They are professionals with years of experience in language services.

We also have subject matter experts for specific translation needs. We see to it that all the translation projects we handle pass through our quality control process to make sure that ensure accuracy, appropriateness of terminology and proper context. For all your translation and interpreting needs, call Day Translations. We offer a full suite of language services so you only have to talk to one organization. We are available 24/7, 365 days of the year. You can reach us through 1-800-969-6853. You have the option to send us an email as well here: Contact us.

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