Which term denotes a word with multiple related meanings?

Which term denotes a word with multiple related meanings?

• A. Polysemy
• B. Homonym
• C. Diphthong
• D. Utterance

Answer: (A)

Polysemy refers to a single word that has multiple related meanings. Those senses share a common thread or origin, so they’re connected in a way that each use still ties back to one core idea of the word. This matches a word with several related meanings.

The other terms don’t fit this description. A homonym describes words that look or sound the same but have unrelated meanings, often from different origins, which is the opposite of “related meanings.” A diphthong is a phonetics term for a vowel sound that slides from one quality to another within the same syllable, not about a word’s meanings. Utterance means a spoken statement or act of speaking, not a label for a word with multiple senses.