Along Came Polysemy

Polysemy [pol-ee-see-mee] is the linguistic term for a diversity of meanings for a given word. Bow, table, and jar are polysemous words, as is the example below.

play
noun 
          a dramatic performance, as on the stage: The girls collected autographs of the stage actors after a dress rehearsal of a Shakespeare play.

play 
verb 

          to exercise or employ oneself in diversion, amusement, or recreation: Reed likes to play on the swings with his dad.