Polysemous expressions are words or phrases that have multiple related meanings. They differ from homonyms, where the multiple meanings are unrelated. Newspaper and wood are examples of polysemous expressions, as newspaper can refer to the company, physical paper, or edited work, and wood can refer to tree material or a forested area. In contrast, a homonym is a word that shares spelling and pronunciation with another word but has an unrelated meaning, like bow as a gesture of respect or a weapon.

1. Polysemous Expressions

2. Polysemous Expressions
Polysemy from Greek: πολυ-, poly-,
"many" and σῆμα, sêma, "sign") is the
capacity for a sign (e.g., a word, phrase,
etc.) or signs to have multiple related
meanings (sememes), i.e., a
large semantic field. It is usually
regarded as distinct from homonymy, in
which the multiple meanings of a word
may be unconnected or unrelated.

3. A polyseme is a word or phrase with
different, but related senses.

4. Examples of Polysemous
Expressions

5. Newspaper
1. The Newspaper fired its editor.
2. I spilled the coffee on the newspaper.
3. The newspaper has decided to change
its format.

6. Newspaper
1. The Newspaper (Company) fired its
editor.
2. I spilled the coffee on the newspaper
(The Physical newspaper).
3. The newspaper (The newspaper as an
edited work) has decided to change its
format.

7. Wood
1. This chair is made of wood.
2. In America, there are many woods.

8. Wood
1. This chair is made of wood (a piece of
tree).
2. In America, there are many woods (a
geographical area with many trees,
like a forest).

9. Homonymous Expressions

10. Homonym
In linguistics, a homonym is, in the
strict sense, one of a group of words
that share the same spelling and
pronunciation but have different
meanings.

11. The state of being a homonym is
called homonymy.

12. Examples of Homonymous
Expressions

13. Bow
1. To show respect
2. A Weapon (Bow and Arrow)

14. Comparison:
Term: Meaning: Spelling: Pronuncia
tion:
Homonym Different Same Same
Polyseme Different,
but related
Same Same or
different