 Fifteen English vocabulary words with multiple meanings from EspressoEnglish.net A number of English words are spelled the same way and pronounced the same way, but have different meanings. Let's learn fifteen of them in this lesson. BARK The noun BARK refers to the outer covering of a tree. The verb BARK refers to the sound a dog makes. This dog is barking. NAILS The hard parts on your fingers and toes are your nails. You can also say finger nails and toe nails more specifically. Nails are also thin, sharp metal pieces used in construction. JAM The 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. And a traffic jam is when the cars on the road are very slow or stopped. POOL A pool or swimming pool is a man-made area of water for swimming. POOL also refers to a game where you use a white ball to try to knock other balls into the pockets of the table. This game can also be called billiards. MINE The 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. A MINE or a LAND MINE 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. BOLT The word BOLT can refer to a type of metal fastener, a single ray of lightning, or it can be a verb, meaning to run very fast. SEASON You probably know that the noun SEASON refers to a period of the year with particular weather. The verb SEASON means to apply spices or flavorings to food. These can be called SEASONINGS. NOVEL The noun NOVEL means a fictional book of significant length. The adjective NOVEL means 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 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. SQUASH The word squash refers to a family of vegetables that have hard exterior shells and we eat the inside part. Squash is also an indoor sport played with rackets and a ball. Squash can also be a verb, meaning to crush something, compress or 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. BUCKLE The word buckle refers to a metal clasp, such as one found on a belt. Buckle is also a verb meaning to close or fasten such a clasp. For example, you should buckle your seat belt 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 of 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. HARBOR The noun harbour refers to a sheltered area of water that is deep enough so that ships can anchor there. The verb harbour means to provide shelter. For example, it is a crime to harbour a fugitive. A fugitive is a criminal who is running away from the police or legal authorities. You can also harbour negative feelings such as resentment or a grudge, meaning to keep those feelings alive inside you. HATCH The verb hatch refers to the process of a baby bird coming out of its egg. The noun hatch means an opening in the floor, ceiling or wall of a ship or aircraft, often having a door on hinges. RACKET A racket is a piece of sports equipment containing a round frame and netting. Rackets are used in tennis. The noun racket also means loud, often chaotic noise. For example, how can I study when the party next door is making a racket? Click on the link in the video or in the description to learn more about my vocabulary builder course, which will help you express yourself more fluently in English. You'll learn and practice more than 500 English words in each level of this course.