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What term describes the possibility of more than one interpretation a written or spoken expression?

There are several terms that describe the possibility of more than one interpretation of a written or spoken expression, depending on the specific nuance you want to convey:

General terms:

* Ambiguity: This is the most common and general term. It refers to the situation where a word, phrase, or sentence has more than one possible meaning, making it unclear which meaning is intended.

* Polysemy: This term refers to the phenomenon of a single word having multiple distinct meanings.

* Multivocality: This term emphasizes the presence of multiple voices or perspectives within a text, which can lead to multiple interpretations.

More specific terms:

* Equivocation: This term refers to the deliberate use of ambiguous language to mislead or deceive.

* Double entendre: This term refers to a phrase or statement that has two interpretations, one of which is usually suggestive or humorous.

* Open-endedness: This term refers to the quality of a text that invites multiple interpretations, often due to its lack of definitive answers or conclusions.

* Plurality of meaning: This term emphasizes the existence of multiple valid interpretations of a text, rather than suggesting any are more correct than others.

The best term to use depends on the specific context and the nuances you want to express. For example, "ambiguity" is a good general term for any situation where there's more than one possible interpretation, while "double entendre" is more specific to phrases with a suggestive or humorous secondary meaning.

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