Which term describes a word with related senses, such as the multiple senses of foot?

• A. Polyseme
• B. Homonym
• C. Synonym
• D. Antonym

Answer: (A)

This question tests how a single word can carry several related meanings. When a word has related senses that grow from a common idea, we call it polysemy. For example, foot can refer to the body part, the bottom end of something, or a unit of length; these meanings are linked by the underlying notion of a base or base measurement, just extended in different ways. Because the senses share a common origin and theme, they belong to one polysemous word.

If the meanings were unrelated, that would be a homonym—two forms that sound the same but with meanings that don’t connect. And remember, synonyms are different words with similar meanings, while antonyms are opposite meanings. So the best fit for a word with related senses is polyseme.