Spanish is a language full of nuances, unexpected twists, and of course, double meanings that can make us laugh… or get us into trouble. Did you know that some words completely change their meaning depending on the context? At MaestroMío, we’re here to explain it all with clear and fun examples. Join us as we explore a list of Spanish words with double meanings and discover how mastering them can improve your fluency and cultural understanding of the language.
1. Banco
- Place where money is kept → Fui al banco a sacar dinero (= I went to the bank to withdraw money).
- Long bench for sitting → Nos sentamos en un banco del parque (= We sat on a bench in the park).
2. Gato
- Domestic feline animal → Mi gato duerme todo el día (= My cat sleeps all day).
- Tool used to lift a car → Se me pinchó una llanta y usé el gato para cambiarla (= I had a flat tire and used the jack to change it).
3. Carta
- Written document or message → Le envié una carta a mi abuela (= I sent a letter to my grandmother).
- Menu in a restaurant → El mesero me dio la carta para elegir el menú (= The waiter gave me the menu to choose my meal).
- Playing card → Saqué una carta de la baraja (= I drew a card from the deck).
4. Mono
- Monkey-like animal → Vimos un mono en la selva (= We saw a monkey in the jungle).
- Cute or attractive (colloquially in Spain and other countries) → Ese vestido es muy mono (= That dress is very cute).
- One-piece garment → El mecánico llevaba un mono azul (= The mechanic was wearing a blue jumpsuit).
5. Sierra
- Mountain range → Fuimos de excursión a la sierra (= We went hiking in the mountains).
- Tool for cutting wood or metal → Usé una sierra para cortar la madera (= I used a saw to cut the wood).
6. Vela
- Wax candle with a wick for lighting → Encendí una vela porque se fue la luz (= I lit a candle because the power went out).
- The act of sailing with sails on a boat → Mi hermano practica vela los fines de semana (= My brother sails on weekends).
7. Cubo
- Geometric figure with six square faces → Dibujé un cubo en mi cuaderno (= I drew a cube in my notebook).
- Container for water or other liquids → Llené un cubo de agua para trapear (= I filled a bucket with water to mop the floor).
8. Planta
- Living being from the plant kingdom → Tengo una planta de albahaca en la cocina (= I have a basil plant in the kitchen).
- Floor of a building → Mi oficina está en la segunda planta (= My office is on the second floor).
- Bottom part of the foot (sole) → Me duele la planta del pie después de correr (= The sole of my foot hurts after running).
9. Cola
- Line of people waiting → Hicimos cola para comprar las entradas (= We stood in line to buy tickets).
- Tail of some animals → El perro movía la cola de felicidad (= The dog wagged its tail happily).
- Glue in some countries (like Argentina and Uruguay) → Usa cola para pegar el papel (= Use glue to stick the paper).
10. Copa
- Stemmed glass for drinking → Tomé una copa de vino (= I had a glass of wine).
- Sports competition → El equipo ganó la Copa del Mundo (= The team won the World Cup).
- Upper part of a tree → Las aves anidan en la copa de los árboles (= Birds nest in the treetops).
