The obstacle to good communication caused by a word having multiple meanings (such as 'mouse' referring to an animal and a computer device) is called what?

• A. Semantics
• B. Grammar
• C. Pronunciation
• D. Syntax

Answer: (A)

Meaning can be hazy when a single word has more than one sense. This kind of ambiguity arises from how words carry different meanings, which is what semantics studies—the study of meaning in language. When a word like mouse can refer to an animal or a computer device, the message can be misunderstood unless context clarifies which sense is intended. The other choices focus on structure or sound rather than meaning: grammar deals with rules of word form and usage, pronunciation is about how words sound, and syntax concerns how words are arranged in sentences. So semantics is the best explanation for this obstacle.