Multiple meaning words are those which we use for different meanings in different contexts. The same word can be as a noun, adjective or verb. English has adopted thousands of words from other languages like Spanish, French, Arabic and even Hindi. The same word but with different meaning can be found in its changed context.
In a similar way, words from different fields of professions e.g. medical, engineering, astronomy, law, business have become part of English Language to enrich it. Over the years, language has changed and more context based usage, (may be not having a direct linkage with the linguistic meaning of the word) has come in practice even by the connoisseurs of language.
Languages with such diversity use nuances of the words to convey the meaning. Sometimes due to this broader sense of words, language becomes ambiguous. But it is expected from the average learner like a Bank Officer that he should avoid this ambiguity related to these more often used words with wide scope of usage. Words that one would see in the Bank Officer’s exam shall be from the daily use.
To score more in this particular section of exam-
One Key word – PRACTICE – can only help. Practice will increase your familiarity with the words.
- Read as much as you can particularly good weekly magazines and daily newspapers having columns from different fields like Engineering, Medicine, Law, Sports, and Politics etc.
- Note down the different meanings of the word from the dictionary or thesaurus.
- Make your own sentences using these words.
- Make a collection of these words and see them at least once in a day.
While attempting these questions, think at least one meaningful sentence you remember with that word or where you have seen that particular word and in which context.
In absence of familiarity a simple word can use and would lead to marking a wrong answer in the exam.
Let us take the example of the word Hit-
You can find this word on every page of a daily newspaper.
Sports – What a magnificent hit it was from the bat of Chris Gayle? (a stroke)
Business – Poor Monsoon to hit the growth rate of Agriculture Sector. (take a beating)
Politics – A US missile hit the Terrorist camp in Northern Pakistan. (an assault)
Entertainment – Jackie Chan has given another hit movie this year. (successful)
City – Power demand in Delhi hit a new high in this summer season. (reach)
Story – It suddenly hit his mind to not follow the monster blindly. (strike)
So in every example the same word is used in different contexts. Only practice can make one more familiar with the nuances of the usage of the same word.
In this section such words are selected which have a high probability of appearing in exam. Practising these will definitely enrich your understanding of the newly introduced section in the any exam.
