What term is used for word forms that have two or more meanings?

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The term that refers to word forms that have two or more meanings is known as polysemy. Polysemy describes a single word that has multiple meanings which are often related by extension. For instance, the word "bank" can mean the side of a river or a financial institution. This underlines the concept that certain words are not limited to a single definition but can serve different functions depending on the context.

Homonyms, while they sound similar, typically refer to words that sound alike but have different meanings and often different spellings, such as "bare" and "bear." This is distinct from polysemy where a single word retains the same form but has various meanings that are connected in some way.

Synonyms are words that have similar meanings, like "fast" and "quick," while antonyms are words that have opposite meanings, such as "hot" and "cold." These terms do not address the concept of multiple meanings of a single word form, which is why polysemy is the correct term in this context.

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