Which option best illustrates polysemy?

• A. Bank: river bank and financial institution
• B. Bat: animal vs baseball bat
• C. Bear: animal vs endure
• D. Lead: to guide vs metal

Answer: (D)

Polysemy shows when one word has several related meanings that come from the same core idea. The pairing with bear fits this best: as a noun, it’s the animal; as a verb, to bear means to carry, support, or endure. Those senses share a common thread about carrying or lasting something, so the word grows into distinct but related meanings rather than two entirely unrelated ones.

The other pairings don’t show that linked sense as clearly. For example, lead as a verb meaning to guide and lead as the metal come from different origins and don’t share a core meaning. A bank can mean the edge of a river and a financial institution, but those meanings aren’t as tightly connected semantically. A bat as an animal and a baseball bat are different senses with separate backgrounds rather than a single word with related meanings.