Multiple Meaning Words
firmly fixed or not likely to move or change (If the foundations of the house aren't stable, collapse is possible.)
a building in which horses are kept
I'm all ears
you have my full attention/I'm listening
Mine
the one(s) belonging to or connected with me (That is mine.)
a hole or system of holes in the ground where substances such as coal, metal, and salt are removed (a coal mine)
Out of the blue (The car came out of the blue.)
with no warning
Handle
a part of an object designed for holding, moving, or carrying the object easily (a door handle)
a name that someone is known by on the social media website (Twitter handles start with an @ sign.)
to deal with, have responsibility for, or be in charge of (I thought he handled the situation very well.)
Log
a thick piece of tree trunk or branch, especially one cut for burning on a fire (We found a huge pile of logs.)
a full written record of a trip, a period of time, or an event (the captain's log)
Get a kick out of it (He loves books. He gets a kick out of reading.)
to really like something
Mold
a soft, green or gray growth that develops on old food or on objects that have been left for too long in warm, wet air (There was mold on the cheese.)
a hollow container into which you pour a soft or liquid substance so that it will cool or harden into the shape of the container (The pieces are made in a mold and I just paint them.)
to make a soft substance have a particular shape (This plastic is going to be molded into plates.)
to try to change or influence someone (He kept trying to mold me into something he wanted me to be.)
Down to the wire (The football game went down to the wire, with two teams being neck and neck most of the time.)
at the last minute/to the last minute
Date
a numbered day in a month, often given with a combination of the name of the day, the month, and the year (What is today's date?)
a social meeting planned before it happens, especially one between two people who have or might have a romantic relationship (He asked her out on a date.)
Charge
to ask an amount of money for something, especially a service or activity (What do you charge for a haircut?)
to make a formal statement saying that someone is accused of a crime (She's been charged with murder.)
to move forward quickly and violently, especially toward something that has caused difficulty or anger (The bull lowered its horns and charged.)
to put electricity into an electrical device such as a battery ( I need to charge my phone.)
Fill in the blanks (He would not tell me the whole story of the argument, and I was left to fill in the blanks for myself.)
to provide one's own conclusion
Season
one of the four periods of the year; spring, summer, autumn, or winter
one of several series of television programs with the same title and the same characters (the third season of The Office)
to improve the flavor of savory food by adding salt, herbs, or spices when cooking or preparing it (season the food with salt)
Add fuel to the fire (John only added fuel to the fire when he accused the other team of cheating.)
make a situation or conflict intensify
Ground
the surface of the earth
to forbid (= refuse to allow) a child or young person from going out as a punishment (My parents grounded me for a week.)
Solution
a means of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation.
a mixture of two or more substances
A fish out of water (It was Allison's first day at her new school, and she felt like a fish out of water.)
someone in an uncomfortable position or situation
Sentence
a group of words, usually containing a subject and a verb
a punishment given by a judge in court to a person or organization after they have been found guilty of doing something wrong
Add insult to injury (Learning she failed her science test on the same day her best friend moved away added insult to injury.)
something that makes a bad situation worse
a place in the ground where a dead person is buried
very serious (a grave situation)
Hatch
to (cause an egg to) break in order to allow a young animal to come out
to make a plan, especially a secret plan (He hatched a plot to forge documents that would embarrass the company.)
an opening through a wall, floor, etc., or the cover for it (an escape hatch)
Read between the lines (She said she could afford it, but reading between the lines I don't think she has enough money.)
to find meanings that are intended but that are not directly expressed in something said or written/you understand something that's not said outright
Draft
a piece of text, a formal suggestion, or a drawing in its original state, often containing the main ideas and intentions but not the developed form (a rough draft)
the system of ordering people by law to join the armed forces (He avoided the draft because of a foot injury.)
the system by which sports teams in the U.S. choose new young players at the beginning of each season (He was a second-round draft pick by the Raiders.)
Pass with flying colors (I passed my exam with flying colors.)
to succeed at something easily
Spare
available to use because it is extra (a spare tire, spare time)
to not hurt or destroy something or someone (They asked him to spare the women and children)