Words With Many Meanings: Polysemy and the Longest Dictionary Entries
Why common English words like 'run' and 'set' have hundreds of senses, how meanings branch from a single idea, and how to pick the right one.
Open a large dictionary at the entry for run, set, take or go, and you'll find pages of meanings. Small, everyday words often have the longest entries, and that's no accident.
What polysemy is
Polysemy is when one word has several related meanings. It's different from homonymy, where unrelated words share a spelling. Head is polysemous: the head of a person, the head of a table, the head of a company and the head of a queue are all related by the idea of "top" or "leading".
Why common words have so many senses
- Frequent use breeds new uses. The more a word is used, the more it's stretched to cover new situations.
- Metaphor extends meaning. Run began with legs, then extended to machines (the engine is running), rivers (the river runs to the sea), businesses (run a company), elections (run for office), and dye (the colours ran).
- Grammar adds more. Many words act as nouns, verbs and adjectives, each with several senses.
- Phrasal verbs multiply meanings. Run out, run into, run up and run down are all separate entries.
Record holders
Lexicographers often note that run has one of the longest entries in the Oxford English Dictionary, with hundreds of distinct senses, and words such as set, take, go, get and put also have very long entries. The exact numbers change as dictionaries are updated.
Example: set
- to put something somewhere (set the vase on the table)
- to prepare (set the table)
- to become firm (the jelly set)
- to adjust (set the alarm)
- a group of things (a set of tools)
- a game unit in tennis
- the scenery for a play
- fixed or determined (a set price)
- to sink below the horizon (the sun set)
How meanings are organised
Dictionaries usually put meanings in an order:
- By part of speech, first.
- Then by frequency or historical order, depending on the dictionary.
- With sub-senses grouped beneath main senses.
- With example sentences to show each one.
Finding the right meaning
- Identify the part of speech in your sentence.
- Read all the senses, not only the first.
- Use the context: what would make sense here?
- Check the examples for matching patterns.
- Test by substitution: replace the word with your chosen meaning and see if the sentence still works.
Why it matters
- Reading: choosing the wrong sense leads to misunderstanding.
- Translation: a word may need several different translations.
- Writing: you can pick words with fewer ambiguities when clarity matters.
- Exams: vocabulary-in-context questions often test secondary meanings of common words.
Ambiguity and humour
Puns and jokes depend on polysemy: "Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana."
Learning tip
Don't stop at the first definition of common words. When you meet run in a new sentence, check whether it's a sense you already know, and add new ones to your notes.
Practice
Pick light, fair or board. Write down every meaning you know, then look them up and see how many you missed.
English Dictionary
Offline English dictionary with meanings, synonyms, antonyms and word games
More about English Dictionary
Learning Words in Context: How to Use Example Sentences
Why a definition alone isn't enough, how example sentences reveal grammar and word partners, and a method for turning them into lasting vocabulary.
Read article →Reading More to Grow Your Vocabulary: How Much and What to Read
Why reading is one of the best ways to learn words, how much of a text you need to understand, and how to choose books that stretch you without overwhelming you.
Read article →Scrabble-Style Word Building: Hooks, Affixes and Short Words
Strategies for tile-based word games: using prefixes and suffixes, two-letter words, hooks and awkward letters, and how official word lists differ.
Read article →Spelling Bee Preparation Tips for Students and Parents
How spelling bees work, the questions contestants can ask, and study strategies built around word origins, patterns and daily practice.
Read article →