Polysemy, Crypto Jews and Smoked SausagePolysemicism (from polysemy) refers to the phenomenon where a single word, symbol, or sign carries multiple meanings that coexist rather than replace each other.In essence, polysemy in the context of Crypto Jews is used to explore how Jewish identity and "secret messages" are "encoded" within texts, symbols, rituals and even food. Polysemicism became a survival mechanism for Crypto Jews. Phrases, prayers, and songs could have double meanings: Christian on the surface, Jewish underneath. Everyday Christian symbols were repurposed with hidden Jewish relevance.Alheira is a type of Portuguese smoked sausage, originally made by Crypto Jews to hide their practices from the Inquisition. Lacking pork, they created a sausage from other meats like poultry and game, combined with bread, garlic, and spices to fool their neighbors.