Polysemous words in Spanish

By Marta Díaz on Thursday, November 20, 2025

As in other languages, Spanish also has polysemous words that can have different meanings depending on the context. So, it's no surprise that you've heard several of them during your adventure of learning Spanish in Spain.

Discover what polysemous words are and see examples in this article from Enforex. We'll help you master Spanish in all areas. Keep reading so you don't miss anything!

What are Spanish polysemous words?

Polysemous words are those that have more than one meaning or acceptance. The same word can be used in different contexts depending on what the speaker is referring to.

Polysemy is the same in all languages, but it should not be confusing with Spanish homonymy. Words that have the same form, but different etymological origins are Spanish homonyms. Polysemous words, on the other hand, have the same root and have developed different meanings over time.

Examples of polysemous words in Spanish

There are many polysemous words in Spanish, but in this article, Enforex provides you a list of the most common ones and their different meanings.

Banco

The word banco can refer to a seat or piece of furniture where several people can sit, or to a financial institution that manages money. But it can also refer to a group of fish swimming together. Examples:

• Nos sentamos en el banco del parque a conversar (We sat on the bench in the park to talk)
• Fui al banco a abrir una cuenta de ahorro (I went to the bank to open a savings account)
• Vimos un banco de peces nadando cerca del muelle (We saw a school of fish swimming near the pier)

Llave

A llave is an instrument used to open or close a door, but it is also a tool for tightening nuts or bolts. In addition, it can be a move in martial arts to immobilize an opponent.

• Perdí las llaves de mi casa por segunda vez (I lost my house keys for the second time)
• Necesito una llave inglesa para apretar este tornillo (I need a wrench to tighten this screw)
• El luchador aplicó una llave y ganó la pelea (The fighter applied a lock and won the fight)

Gato

In addition to the feline animal that everyone knows and can be domesticated. A gato is a device for lifting cars or heavy objects.

• Mi gato duerme todo el día (My cat sleeps all day)
• Usé el gato para cambiar la rueda pinchada (I used the jack to change the flat tire)

Planta

A planta is a plant or living organism that performs photosynthesis. But it can also be a level in a building or the bottom of the foot.

• Riego las plantas del jardín cada dos días (I water the plants in the garden every two days)
• Trabajo en la tercera planta del edificio (I work on the third floor of the building)
• Me lastimé la planta del pie con una piedra (I hurt the sole of my foot on a rock)

Sierra

A tool with teeth for cutting is a saw, but it is also a word for a range of mountains.

• Usé una sierra para cortar la tabla (I used a saw to cut the board)
• La sierra estaba cubierta de nieve (The saw was covered with snow)

Ratón

As with cats, a mouse can be an animal and a small rodent, but it is also the name given to the device used to control a computer cursor.

• El ratón se comió todo el queso de la cocina (The mouse ate all the cheese in the kitchen)
• Mi ratón inalámbrico dejó de funcionar ayer (My wireless mouse stopped working yesterday)

Mono

A mono is a primate animal or a piece of work clothing. For example:

• El mono saltaba de rama en rama (The monkey jumped from branch to branch)
• El mecánico llevaba un mono azul (The mechanic was wearing blue overalls/jumpsuit)

Copa

A copa is a glass or container for drinking liquids. It is also the trophy awarded to the winners of sports competitions. A cup can even be the top of a tree.

• Brindemos con una copa de vino (Let's toast with a glass of wine)
• Nuestro equipo ganó la Copa del Rey (Our team won the King's Cup)
• La copa del árbol daba una sombra enorme (The tree canopy provided enormous shade)

Letra

The word letra is also polysemous, as it can refer to a symbol in the alphabet, the words sung in a song, or a monthly payment installment.

• La letra “A” es la primera del abecedario (The letter “A” is the first letter of the alphabet)
• Me sé la letra completa de esa canción (I know the entire lyrics to that song)
• Todavía me falta pagar la última letra del coche (I still must pay the last installment on the car)

Hoja

A hoja is part of a plant, a thin sheet of paper for writing, or the blade of a weapon or knife.

• Las hojas del árbol cayeron en otoño (The leaves of the tree fell in autumn)
• Arranqué una hoja del cuaderno (I tore a page out of the notebook)
• La hoja del cuchillo estaba muy afilada (The blade of the knife was very sharp)

Llama

Another very common polysemous word is llama, which has three meanings. A llama is an animal, the visible, luminous part of a fire, and it can also be the conjugation of the verb “llamar”.

• La llama caminaba por la montaña (The llama walked through the mountains)
• El viento movía la llama de la vela (The wind moved the flame of the candle)
• Mi madre me llama todos los días (My mother calls me every day)

Carta

A written document sent to someone is a carta. But this polysemous word can also mean a restaurant menu or a playing card.

• Le escribí una carta a mi abuela contándole mis vacaciones (I wrote a letter to my grandmother telling her about my vacation)
• El camarero me dio la carta para ver el menú del día (The waiter gave me the menu to see the daily specials)
• Sacó la carta del as de corazones de la baraja (He took the card of the ace of hearts from the deck)

Flamenco

A bird with long legs and pink plumage is a flamingo, but it is also the name given to the traditional dance of Andalusia.

• Vimos un flamenco en la laguna durante el viaje (We saw a flamingo in the lagoon during the trip)
• Aprendió a bailar flamenco en el colegio (He learned to dance flamenco at school)

Capital

The main city of a country is the capital, but it can also refer to money or assets for investment.

• Madrid es la capital de España (Madrid is the capital of Spain)
• Necesito reunir capital para abrir mi negocio (I need to raise capital to open my business)

Lengua

Lengua is another polysemous word, as it can refer to the muscular organ that allows us to speak, taste, and swallow; a language; or a portion of land that juts out like an extension.

• Me mordí la lengua mientras comía (I bit my tongue while eating)
• El español es mi lengua materna (Spanish is my mother tongue)
• Una lengua de arena se adentraba en el lago (A sandbar jutted out into the lake)

Pendiente

A pendiente can be a slope of land; an issue to be resolved; or an ornament for the ear.

• Subimos por una pendiente muy empinada (We climbed a very steep slope)
• Tengo varios pendientes antes del fin de semana (I have several things to do before the weekend)
• Llevaba unos pendientes de oro muy elegantes (She was wearing some very elegant gold earrings)

Although these are not the only polysemous words that exist in Spanish, they can be useful in various contexts and expand your vocabulary. If you want to learn more polysemous words, don't hesitate to sign up for one of our intensive Spanish courses, where our teachers will give you a hand and teach you many more.