[Bernard Marx]

I think context goes a long way toward defining the specificity of a given word usage. I haven't looked up all 430 definitions of "set" in the OEM but, in context, I suspect the varied meanings become clear. To use your example a trapper friend "sets" traps (verb). But once in place they're called "sets" (noun).

[SoCal Pubbie]

Not all of those meanings could have arisen at the same time. So I can’t buy your idea that meanings can’t change or it’s chaos. That’s one of the beauties of the English language. It can be vague or precise of something in between.