"Run" tops the list with 645 meanings in the Oxford English Dictionary due to its versatility across categories like nouns (a jog, a score in cricket, a tear in stockings), verbs (to operate, to flee, to manage), and more—spanning physical motion, processes, competitions, and idioms.

This evolution stems from Old English roots ("rinnan" for flow), expanding over centuries through metaphorical uses, technical terms, and cultural adaptations, making it adapt to countless contexts without needing new words.