Polysemic words are words that are spelled exactly the same, but have different meanings.i.e. words with double meaning or double meaning. For example: leaf (can be leaf from trees or leaf from a notebook).
That is, its grammatical, syntagmatic and morphological structure is the same, but its meaning varies. In this article we will know 50 words with double meaning (or more senses), so that you are alert whenever someone uses them and you can sense their true meaning.
Let’s see 50 words with double meaning, and know their possible meanings. We must mention that some of them have even more meanings, but in this article we include the most used, common and frequent meanings in the Spanish language.
1. Leaf
A leaf can be a green leaf that grows on trees (the leaves of trees) or a notebook leaf (i.e., paper). It can also be a periodical (e.g. a parish blade), and the blade found in some tools and weapons.
2. Coffee
Coffee is the aromatic bean that allows us to drink cups of coffee, or it can be the brown color.
3. Letter
We have the letter that we send to our friends or family (a letter written on paper) or the letter that refers to the daily menu of a restaurant.
4. Merengue
Merengue is a dessert, which consists of a preparation based on sugar and egg white, and is also a type of dance.
5. Pen
The pen is a tool or article that is used to write with ink; it can also be the feather of birds (the horny formation that covers the body of birds), and it is even used to allude to a male who uses gestures or “effeminate” words.
6. Orange
Orange is a color and it is a fruit; in fact, the fruit is orange.
7. General
Something general is something that affects or concerns “everyone,” and it is also a military grade.
8. Tibia
The word tibia is used to allude to a medium temperature (of water, for example), that is, warm; which is neither cold nor hot. In turn, the tibia is also a bone located in the lower extremities (legs).
9. Saw
A saw is, in turn, a mountain range of mountains and a tool to cut wood or other materials.
10. Mouse
A mouse is a small animal (rodent) and a device that we connect to the computer to move the pointer.
11. Low
A bass is a musical instrument (stringed, similar to a guitar), is a person of low height and is an inferior position to others.
12. Yolk
The yolk is a part of the egg (the orange/yellowish one) and is the tip of the fingers.
13. Skirt
A skirt can be the bottom or bottom of a mountain, a type of cut in meats and a piece of clothing.
14. Peak
A beak is a short kiss on the lips; it is also a part of birds and other animals (their jaw) and a tool for digging into the ground.
15. Channel
A channel is the deepest part of a port entrance; it is also a television channel (frequency band in which one program or another is broadcast) and an artificial channel through which water circulates.
16. Plant
A plant is a living being, any type of plant or shrub; it is also the lower zone of the feet (the only zone of the body that is in contact with the ground) and each of the divisions of a building (from bottom to top or vice versa).
17. Taco
A taco is a Mexican food product, and is a footwear worn by soccer players.
18. Pending
An earring is a decoration that is placed on the ears, and is usually made of gold, silver, wood, metal … and is also a thing that must be done, which is “earring” to do.
19. Bank
A bench can be a seat to sit on (two or more people), and also a group of fish, as well as a place to keep and withdraw money. It also refers to the company that is in charge of carrying out financial operations.
20. Cat
A cat is a feline animal, and also a tool used to lift weight (and used mostly in cars).
21. White
White is a colour, and it is also said of the person who always receives something concrete from everyone, for example: “you are the white of all glances”, or “you are the white of all criticism”.
22. Capital
The capital refers to the main (and most important) population of a country, province, district, etc. It’s also an important amount of money.
23. Cure
The cure is the healing of a wound, or the remedy of some disease; it is also a figure/charge of the church (a priest who makes mass).
24. Apple
The apple is a fruit (fruit of the apple tree), is the pommel of the sword and is a square-shaped built space delimited by streets.
25. Witness
A witness is a person who has witnessed (seen, heard…) a crime, a hit and run, a criminal act, etc. It is also an object that is passed in relay races.
26. Temporary
Temporal is somewhat time-bound, transient, and also a big storm.
27. Monkey
A monkey is an animal; it is also a qualifier to allude to someone “nice” or “adorable”, and it is the unrestrained desire to do something (especially in addictions; for example having a smoking monkey).
28. Libra
A pound is a type of currency (monetary unit) used in some countries, and is also a zodiac sign.
29. Don
A gift is a special talent, and is a word that is used before the name to name important or recognized persons (e.g. Don Patricio).
30. Bar
The bar (elongated furniture where to place the glasses and plates) and the bread bar (elongated bread). We also found a lot of “bar” (a lot of snout).
31. Front
The front of something (e.g., step forward) and an area of the body above the eyes.
32. Entrance
The front part of a building, park, etc., through which it is accessed. It is also the area of the head where hair begins to grow (“you have tickets”) and a ticket that serves to access a show, monument, etc..
33. Doll
A part of the body (that which precedes the hand) and a toy (that simulates a real girl).
34. Handle
Elongated part of an object or a piece and tropical fruit.
35. Needle
Clock hand, sharp object for sewing, and tool for drawing blood or administering medications.
36. Wine
A type of alcoholic beverage and verbal conjugation of the verb “venir” (she came).
37. Foot
A part of the body and the end part (bracket) of a lamp.
38. Ridge
A part of the rooster and a part of the wave of the sea.
39. Candle
Part of a boat and wax object that is lit by a flame to illuminate or heat.
40. Band
A band is a group of thieves, and also a music group. It’s also a part of an object.
41. Rebecca
A garment and a woman’s name.
42. Layer
A garment and that which covers or bathes something (e.g. a coat of paint).
43. Ratchet
A bird and a musical instrument.
44. Hard
A type of currency (pesetas) and a characteristic of an object (the opposite of soft).
45. River
Water flow and conjugation of the verb reír (“I river”).
46. March
The military march (movement of troops), way of walking and conjugation of the verb to leave (“he leaves”).
47. Emperor
A type of fish and an important figure in a population (sovereign, supreme chief…).
48. Fabric
A type of fabric or texture and some areas of the human body (made up of millions of cells).
49. Bridge
A type of construction where people cross between two sides of earth and a piece of metal to hold the artificial teeth.
50. Garment
A piece of clothing and a person of “dubious reputation”.
Bibliographic references
-
Fernández, M. (1990). Around polysemy and homonymy. Yearbook of Philological Studies, 193-205.
-
Royal Spanish Academy. (2001). Dictionary of the Spanish Language (22nd ed.). Madrid, Spain: Author.
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.
Here is the free English video lesson I taught on YouTube:
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see all of our lessons and get the latest videos right away!
You can download the practice sheet NOW!
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.
The English language abounds with words with double meanings. We call these words homonyms or homographs.
What is the difference between the two?
Homonyms are words with the same spelling or similar pronunciation that have different meanings.
Whereas homographs are words that are spelled identically but have different meanings.
We will look at various words with double meanings, in both homonym and homograph categories.
Here’s the list, with definitions for each word, as well as some examples of its usage.
23 Words with Double Meanings
Here are a few great examples of words with double meanings in the English vocabulary in alphabetical order:
1. Arm
This could refer to a part of the body, particularly the two upper limbs of humans or primates. Or it could denote a branch or division of an organization, say a marketing arm.
It could also mean picking up or supplying with weapons. Example: “The soldiers moved in haste to arm themselves with swords and shields.”
2. Bark
This describes a dog’s manner of speaking, but could also mean speaking in a curt, loud, and angry tone. “Did the dog bark?” is an example of the former, while “The drill sergeant barks orders to the platoon” is an example of the latter.
The rugged exterior layer covering a tree’s trunk is also known as bark.
3. Compact
This could refer to a small cosmetic case of compressed powder or describe a dense structure or closely packed unit.
It could also define a complex object that occupies little space, e.g., a compact camera or compact keyboard. An agreement between two or more parties can also be called a compact. Example: “The Spanish general and the chief of the natives agree to a blood compact.”
4. Date
This could be the date fruit (Phoenix dactylifera) or a time at which an event occurs, as in, “the date of their wedding anniversary.”
It could also refer to a social engagement, like going on a date with someone. Or it could describe the person someone is going out with, like, “He asked her to be his date for the prom.”
5. Desert
A desert is an arid land with sparse vegetation, often devoid of water, desolate, and hot. That same word could mean “to leave” with no intent to return, as seen in the abandonment of military duty without leave or justification.
Did you know it could also mean “deserved reward or punishment”? When used this way, it is often in the plural form as in, “the perpetrators got their just deserts.”
6. Discount
A reduction made from a regular price or expected debt is called a discount, as seen in “discount sales.”
It could also mean “to minimize the importance of something” or “to leave it out of account.” For example, “We should discount the possibility of another Napoleon ever arising.”
7. Drop
This refers to a minute quantity or degree of something intangible, as in, “a drop of water” or “not a drop of dignity left in her.”
It could also refer to the act of falling or descending, as in “drop the cup” or “a price drop.” It is also used to describe “ceasing to be of concern” or “to discontinue,” as in, “drop the case.”
8. Engaged
This could describe a formal agreement to marry between two persons, as in betrothed. This could also define someone busy, as in “She is engaged in a phone call at the moment.”
It could also indicate great interest in something, being physically involved in a hostile environment, or being in gear when driving.
9. Entrance
This could refer to a place of entry or an act of entering conspicuously.
An example sentence for the first one is “I will meet you at the entrance of the cinema”, while for the second one is “The bride and groom prepare for a grand entrance at the reception.”
10. Fall
This could be the act of descending freely to the ground through gravitational force, or it could refer to the loss of high statuses, such as “a fall from grace.”
It could also describe a musical cadence or a season in the year. Committing an immoral act could also be called a fall, like a “fall into sin.”
11. Feet
This is the plural of the word foot, which refers to the lower extremities of humans or animals. It could also mean the lower part of an object on which it stands.
Feet is also a unit of measurement in the English system, which is equal to 12 inches. For example, “the grave was 6 feet deep.”
12. Fine
This, of course, is the typical response to “how are you,” which could mean healthy or without any problem. It could also describe something of high quality, like “fine wine.”
It could also mean very tiny grains, like “fine sand”, or the sum imposed as a penalty for an offense. For example, “You have to pay the fine for crossing the red light”.
As a homograph, it marks the closing point in music after a repeat.
13. Floor
The floor is the level base of a room or the ground surface of a place. It could also mean bringing down, like in the middle of an argument, or speeding up while driving, as in “You got to floor the accelerator if you want to catch up with him.”
It could also refer to the right to address an assembly, as in “take the floor.”
14. Funny
This refers to something that elicits laughter or that seeks to amuse. It could also describe something suspicious or differing from the norm, as in, “I hear a funny noise in the house.”
It may also mean something that involves trickery, like a cop telling a suspect, “Do not try to do anything funny.”
15. Letter
This could refer to the letters of the alphabet or a written message addressed to someone. We can also use it for very specific instructions, such as “follow the manual to the letter”.
Did you know? The one who rents or leases an item is called a letter.
16. Lie
This could mean resting in a horizontal position, or the act of making an untrue statement.
As a noun, it refers to the untrue or inaccurate statement made by a speaker or writer.
17. Minute
This is a homograph. It could refer to a unit of time, which is equal to 60 seconds, or something minuscule or infinitesimal.
The summary of a meeting or event, written as notes, is also called a minute.
18. Object
This refers to an inanimate thing you can see or touch or a person or thing to which you direct action or feeling. For example, “the object of my affection.”
It could also mean to oppose, as in, “I object to such treatment.”
19. Refuse
To refuse something is to express unwillingness to do or accept it. You could refuse a gift or a person’s affection.
It also describes trash or the useless part of something.
20. Rose
The pretty flower must be the first thing that comes to mind when we hear this word. Well, it is that, but it could also mean other things.
It is also the past tense of “rise.” It can also mean a color that is described as a warm pink or light crimson color.
21. Second
It indicates the number two position, or what comes after first. It is also used to proclaim support, as in “I second that opinion.”
The word second also refers to the fundamental unit of time in the International System of Units.
22. Ship
This describes a sea vessel. It also refers to the act of transporting products by various means, such as by sea or by air.
Informally, it refers to the act of wishfully putting two people you want to be romantically involved together.
23. Type
It could mean a variety of things, like “your blood type,” or “the type of clothes you want to wear.” It also refers to the act of writing with a keyboard or typewriter.
It could also imply someone you are (or are not) attracted to, like, “She is exactly my type!”
Wrap Up
Hundreds of words have the same spelling but different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations. We hope this list has reminded you of some.
Do not forget the difference between homonyms and homographs—all the best with using these words where they fit.
Rafal Reyzer
Hey there, welcome to my blog! I’m a full-time blogger, educator, digital marketer, freelance writer, editor and content manager with over 10 years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to achieve freedom from 9 to 5 through online creativity. My site is a one-stop-shop for freelance writers, bloggers, publishers, content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money and create beautiful things. Feel free to check my archive containing over 600 articles and my YouTube channel for writers and content creators. Ah yes, and stay awesome!
Asked
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7 Answers
answered Jun 9, 2011 at 1:43
Kit Z. Fox♦Kit Z. Fox
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2
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+1. This seems to be the clearest term for what the questioner requests — it doesn’t have the extraneous connotations that some others have (humour in the case of pun, deliberate deceit or evasiveness in the case of equivocation), and it also covers all examples, unlike homonym, homophone, etc., which are each rather more restrictive.
Jun 9, 2011 at 3:40
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Actually, we may need something like bi-/disemous or ambisimous.
Oct 14, 2012 at 14:43
A pun:
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect.
Wikipedia
Perhaps more specifically a homonymic pun, which relies on words that are both homographs (same spelling, different meaning) and homophones (sound alike), e.g., «Being in politics is just like playing golf:
. . . you are trapped in one bad lie after another.»
answered Jun 9, 2011 at 1:29
CallithumpianCallithumpian
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+1 Paronomasia is exactly the pun-itive measure I had in mind.
Jun 9, 2011 at 2:14
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Pun seems to imply humorous plays on words. Is there a word extending to all?
Jun 9, 2011 at 3:09
Equivocation could work.
Equivocation is classified as both a formal and informal logical fallacy. It is the misleading use of a term with more than one meaning or sense (by glossing over which meaning is intended at a particular time). It generally occurs with polysemic words.
Wikipedia
answered Jun 9, 2011 at 1:41
NRafNRaf
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Are you looking for :
Equivocation
There is also:
Double Entendre
answered Jun 9, 2011 at 1:59
ThursagenThursagen
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0
ambiguity (or ambiguous) and its associated figure of speech amphiboly capture the «multiple meanings at once». Both can apply to a single word or to an entire phrase or sentence.
answered Jun 9, 2011 at 17:38
MitchMitch
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I think this is the best, because it is not confined to words. A sentence might be ambiguous despite none of its words being so. For example, The boy saw the man with the telescope can mean either that the man had the telescope, and the boy saw him; alternatively, it can mean that the boy, by means of the telescope, saw the man. Both meanings arise from the same set of words, without changing the meanings of the words. It is how the words combine which determines which meaning ultimately arises.
Jun 10, 2011 at 1:05
Bisemous.
It really means «with two meanings».
RegDwigнt
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answered Oct 14, 2012 at 14:45
KrisKris
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you do it ostensibly
«So maybe there’s a legal convention
concerning how definitions such as
this are to be
circumscribed/overridden/whatever by
the common English meaning however
vague by comparison of the term
ostensibly being defined?» — The
Volokh Conspiracy » Hate Crimes and
Double Jeopardy:
I just realized that if your word has at least two meanings at the same time that you might be referring to something ironic
–adjective Both coincidental and contradictory in a humorous or poignant and extremely improbable way.It is ironic that Einstein, who was
such a revolutionary young man, was
reduced to irrational denial of
quantum mechanics in his later years.
answered Jun 9, 2011 at 3:41
6
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Is this a joke? If not, “ostensibly” here means as much as “allegedly”. As in, “it’s claimed that this term … is being defined (but it really isn’t)”.
Jun 9, 2011 at 10:45
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@Konrad the question was «How could one put, in a single word, language that has multiple meanings at once?» How would you do it? I’d do it … ostensibly
Jun 9, 2011 at 11:58
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@pageman: ‘ostensibly’ does imply that there is an alternative meaning, but it is primarily about the situation rather than the word or language.
Jun 9, 2011 at 17:34
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@Mitch the question was how «does one» do it, right?
Jun 10, 2011 at 15:34
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@pageman: that is a subtle reading of the intention of the OP that the OP probably didn’t intend. ‘Ostensible’ is about a surface meaning, but on reflection there is another meaning (It is not about the process of -inducing- the multiple meanings , the act of constructing the utterance with more than one meaning (which is what I think you’re getting at). In that case it would be prevaricating, equivocating, or dissembling, with the added connotation of ‘with the intent to deceive’ (which ‘ostensible’ doesn’t have).
Jun 10, 2011 at 16:25
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Question feed
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#1
What is the english word for something which has different meanings ?
Thanks in Advanced.
-
#2
It could be a «homonym» (two words that look and sound alike but have different meanings).
Of course, there is also a term, double entendre, (borrowed from the French) for what we wall a «double meaning»; this is a word or phrase that has one normal meaning and a second one that might be more objectionable or sub rosa. Here one meaning is evident, but the other is hidden; these are then simultaneous, rather than alternative meanings. This is more of a literary concept rather than the grammatical one I described in the first paragraph.
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#3
What is the english word for something which has different meanings ?
Thanks in
Advancedadvance.
Hi
You might be more precise about what «something» might be and provide context.
In any event, we say phrasing or a word is ambiguous when it can be read to have more than one meaning.
Example. «I showed my wife my our new puppy. She was happy to see her.» (was it the puppy or the wife that was happy?)»
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#4
Thank You both.
-
#5
Hi
You might be more precise about what «something» might be and provide context.In any event, we say phrasing or a word is ambiguous when it can be read to have more than one meaning.
Example. «I showed my wife my our new puppy. She was happy to see her.» (was it the puppy or the wife that was happy?)»
Excellent, sdgraham; you mentioned an option I had ignored.
In this example, M-W, you could use «vague» also, but «ambiguous strikes me as a richer word.
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#6
The swastika means one thing to Hindus, and meant something quite different to the Nazis, and has been used in various other ways too over the centuries. I suppose you could call the swastika multivalent or polyvalent. Multi-functional might be used in some contexts.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika
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#7
Example. «I showed my wife my our new puppy. She was happy to see her.» (was it the puppy or the wife that was happy?)»
1. Wouldn’t you use «it» for a puppy?
2. I can’t see how ambiguous this sentence. For me it is clear that your wife was happy. If you showed you wife the puppy than she saw. Isn’t it right? Why would you think that the puppy saw? (I hope I wrote my point clearly).
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#8
I understood your question, cfu507. To be succinct, it is possible to use «he» and «she» for an animal. Yes, one might likely assume that the wife was happy rather than the dog; the point, though, is that one could interpret the sentence in two different manners.
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#9
As an example of deliberately ambiguous sentences, here’s the output from a performance appraisal generator fournd on a website:
«His usefulness to the division is self evident. His name is frequently mentioned in executive meetings. As an employee, he is a management textbook example. There is no doubt about his future with our company.»
Each one of these statements can be read as a compliment or an insult, depending on the assumption you make about the person’s actual performance.
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#10
A joke where there are two meanings for the same word is called a pun.
Example:
Research and development came up with the design for a new sailboard, and when it went to the experimental phase, the researchers were blown away with its performance.
-
#11
There is also doublespeak, which is related to JamesM’s excellent «corporatese» example. Doublespeak can be defined as deliberately ambiguous language designed to deceive or to misrepresent the situation. Of course, this brings you quite close to actual lying, though it is lying through obfuscation rather than by either omission or commission. This is a «cousin» of the concept of euphemism.
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#12
Let’s not forget the concept of polysemy. A polyseme is a word with many different but related meanings as opposed to homonyms which have different origins.
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#13
And a sentence which can be read in two different ways is an amphiboly.
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#14
When it comes down to it, all language is a pale and idealistic abstraction. Let’s not forget sarcasm, a deliberate use of irony in order to achieve bitter, caustic, or sharp humor. (This is putatively humorous, though I rarely find it so in real life.)
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#15
Well, I suppose the original poster’s question is a good example of an ambiguous question. All these excellent but varied answers leads me to wonder what MOST-WANTED…. wanted.
As always, context or an example would have helped greatly.
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#16
OK. I tried to offer up an example of a «pun» but it got bounced because it contained a foreign word. I will make another attempt now. I will use no foreign words whatsoever.
Here goes:
A duck walks into a bar. He orders a drink. He spies a beautiful and extremely well-endowed blond at the end of the bar. He tells the bartender that he would like to buy a drink for the blond.
The bartender delivers the drink to the blond with the enormous bosom and the duck thereupon introduces himself. They chat a while and the duck buys her several more, very strong drinks. She is quite inebriated and seeing that, the duck suggests that it might be advantageous for them to retire to his apartment. She agrees.
They are about to walk out of the bar when the bartender shouts, «Hey you can’t leave now! You owe me thirty-seven dollars.»
The duck responds, «Put it on my bill.»
And that is a pun, with absolutely no foreign words used at all.
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#17
So are homophones, homograms, and homonyms polysemies, which would in turn be likely to turn a sentence into an amphiboly?
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#18
I don’t think anybody has mentioned heteronyms yet, have they? Here’s a bit of revision for those who are having trouble remembering the difference between all those lovely words: homograph, homogram, homophone, homonym, and heteronym.
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#19
I want to throw oxymoron into the mix.
Oxymorons are usually phrases though…»jumbo shrimp», «military intelligence». The example the WR dictionary gives is: «a deafening silence»…
This is one rocking thread!
Nomi
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#20
I believe it is called «antonym» which means a word of opposite meaning. For example, dog is an antonym of cat. Both the words dog and cat are antonyms.
Let us wait for the more experienced speakers of English have to say.
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#21
I believe it is called «antonym» which means a word of opposite meaning. For example, dog is an antonym of cat. Both the words dog and cat are antonyms.
Let us wait for the more experienced speakers of English have to say.
An antonym is a word that means the opposite. Dog and cats are not opposites. Cold and hot are opposites; wet and dry are opposites; funny and sad are opposites; dogs and cats seriously differ but are not opposites.