Definitions

1. noun

The state or condition of having words that are spelled the same but have different meanings, usually due to different origins or histories.

“The linguistic phenomenon of heteronymy has puzzled scholars for centuries.”

2. noun

A word that has multiple senses or meanings, often due to different etymologies or historical developments.

“The word ‘bank’ has multiple senses as a noun, including a financial institution and the side of a river.”

3. noun

A homograph that has multiple, often unrelated, meanings.

“The word ‘bat’ is a homograph that can refer to a flying mammal or a sports equipment.”

4. noun

A word that has multiple forms or senses, often due to language contact or linguistic evolution.

“The word ‘saw’ has multiple forms as a verb, including the past tense ‘saw’ and the past participle ‘seen’.”