Theories of meaning are surveyed in an attempt to clarify diverse terminology and work toward developing an integrated, holistic, descriptive theory of meaning. This theory is then used to compare two types of logico-structural meaning relations - hyponymy an meronymy - with two figures of speech - metaphor and metonymy, respectively. Whereas hyponymy and meronymy are sense relations that are propositional (i.e., factually oriented and focused on real-world phenomena), metaphor and metonymy have a secondary (figurative) meaning that is separate from, but related to, their primary (literal) meaning. The integrated approach developed here is based on the notion that the processes involved in comprehending language with logical meaning are not necessarily distinct from those involved in understanding language with creative or figurative meaning and that speakers use similar strategies to process both types. Implications for the traditional dualistic view of literal vs. figurative language processing are discussed. (LLBA, C. Brennan, Accession Number 200003740, (c) CSA [1999]. All rights reserved.)