List of polysemes
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The following is a list of common polysemes. These examples can variously mean a verb to act, a noun for an activity, or nouns for those engaged in the activity, the result of the activity, or the place or time of the activity:
| word | original use | polysemic use |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| aggregation | coming together | result of coming together; those who come together |
| assembly | coming together | result of coming together; those who come together |
| bank | keep secure | place where things are kept secure |
| bed | something sleepers lie upon | what a stream lies on |
| book | a bound collection of pages | text distributed as a book |
| capitalist | person who owns a business | supporter of capitalism; person who owns a business |
| congregation | coming together | result of coming together; those who come together |
| court | seek favor | assembly of those seeking favor; the president of the court ("judge") |
| delegation | granting authority to another | those to whom authority has been granted |
| head | part of the body above neck | person in charge of an organisation |
| hospital | activity or place for lodging guests | place for treating the ill |
| hunt | seeking something, especially game animals, to kill or capture | those engaged in a search and taking |
| march | moving together on foot | those who move together on foot |
| milk | activity of extracting milk | result of the extraction |
| militia | military or defense activity | those engaged in or subject to being required to engage in defense activity |
| ministry | serving the needs of others | those engaged in serving the needs of others |
| mole | a small burrowing mammal | someone who burrows for information hoping to go undetected |
| movement | motion, change in position | result of motion or change; those who move or change |
| nurse | serving the needs of others | someone engaged in serving the needs of others |
| police | make orderly (lawful) | law enforcers |
| service | doing for others | those who serve (especially military) |
| Viking | raiding | those who raid (especially of Scandinavian origin) |
| wedding | joining a couple in matrimony | those engaged in joining a couple in matrimony; time or place of doing so |
| wood | a piece of a tree | a geographical area with many trees |
| American | ||
| Canadian | ||
| British | ||
| French | ||
| European | ||
| Rest of the world | ||
