Word Sense Disambiguation

Lesk Algorithm

Performs the classic Lesk algorithm for Word Sense Disambiguation (WSD) using a the definitions of the ambiguous word.

Given an ambiguous word and the context in which the word occurs, Lesk returns a Synset with the highest number of overlapping words between the context sentence and different definitions from each Synset.

>>> from nltk.wsd import lesk
    >>> from nltk import word_tokenize
    >>> sent = word_tokenize("I went to the bank to deposit money.")
    >>> word = "bank"
    >>> pos = "n"
    >>> print(lesk(sent, word, pos))
    Synset('depository_financial_institution.n.01')

The definitions for "bank" are:

>>> from nltk.corpus import wordnet as wn
>>> for ss in wn.synsets('bank'):
...     print(ss, ss.definition())
Synset('bank.n.01') sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water)
Synset('depository_financial_institution.n.01') a financial institution that accepts deposits and channels the money into lending activities
Synset('bank.n.03') a long ridge or pile
Synset('bank.n.04') an arrangement of similar objects in a row or in tiers
Synset('bank.n.05') a supply or stock held in reserve for future use (especially in emergencies)
Synset('bank.n.06') the funds held by a gambling house or the dealer in some gambling games
Synset('bank.n.07') a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force
Synset('savings_bank.n.02') a container (usually with a slot in the top) for keeping money at home
Synset('bank.n.09') a building in which the business of banking transacted
Synset('bank.n.10') a flight maneuver; aircraft tips laterally about its longitudinal axis (especially in turning)
Synset('bank.v.01') tip laterally
Synset('bank.v.02') enclose with a bank
Synset('bank.v.03') do business with a bank or keep an account at a bank
Synset('bank.v.04') act as the banker in a game or in gambling
Synset('bank.v.05') be in the banking business
Synset('deposit.v.02') put into a bank account
Synset('bank.v.07') cover with ashes so to control the rate of burning
Synset('trust.v.01') have confidence or faith in