Using the same outline for more than one word. Before the age of computerized machine shorthand, a stenographer would use the same outline for words that sounded the same and determine the correct word to use when transcribing their notes based on the context the word was used. For example, they would strokeTO for the words to, two and too and use the context to determine which word to use. As current steno software programs, including Plover, are all realtime systems, all sound-alike words have their own outline entered in the dictionary. This can, of course, cause some confusion when first learning steno theory as sometimes, those outlines may violate phonetic or other standards/conventions, but Plover theory does set out rules defining how most conflicts are handled.
Note that should you have the same outline for different words in two or more different dictionaries, Plover will always use the outline in the dictionary with the highest priority.