Polysemy can be defined as one form written or spoken having multiple meanings that are all related by extension.

Example of homonym and polysemy. This can mean both a holding area for animals and a writing instrument Another example is book which can mean something to read or the act of making a reservation In both cases the sound and spelling are the same. The object that got wet cannot re people and the company didnt get wet. This word has a very large number of meanings.

In other words it is the capacity for a word phrase or sign to have multiple meanings ie a large semantic field. A clear case of polysemy 1. Polysemy includes the fact that the English word compass means either een kompas or een passer.

Homonyms its etymology definition. It has 19 noun meanings 12 adjective meanings 12 verb meanings 4 meanings in verb phrases and 2 adverb meanings. Still its obvious that the same word is used to refer to them both.

The newspaper got wet in the rain. However although they are listed as different words in the dictionary they both derive from the Latin word. Discover a collection of 30 more homonym examples.

In linguistics a homonym is in the strict sense one of a group of words that share the same spelling and the same pronunciation but have different meanings. His cottage is near a small wood. Air atmosphere the stuff we breathe Aisle - walkway 4.

The Dutch word pad can mean a toad or a path. Words like tale and tail are homonyms. So ambiguous words can be either homonymous or polysemous and it.