Keystone Literature Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Study Resource

Question: 1 / 400

What do we call words that have several meanings depending on their usage in a sentence?

Synonyms

Metaphors

Homographs

Multiple-meaning Words

The term for words that have several meanings depending on their usage in a sentence is indeed "multiple-meaning words." These words, often referred to as polysemous words, can convey different meanings based on context, which is key to understanding their intended use in communication.

For example, the word "bank" can mean a financial institution, the side of a river, or to rely on someone. Recognizing the context in which these words are used is essential for comprehension.

While synonyms refer to words that have similar meanings, metaphors are not direct descriptive words but rather figure of speech comparisons. Homographs are a subset of multiple-meaning words that are spelled the same but may or may not have the same pronunciation and can possess different meanings as well. However, the broader category that encompasses any word with multiple meanings is best described as multiple-meaning words.

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