The noun variation has 11 senses (first 5 from tagged texts)
1. (29) variation, fluctuation -- (an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change)
2. (9) variation, variance -- (an activity that varies from a norm or standard; "any variation in his routine was immediately reported")
3. (2) variation -- (a repetition of a musical theme in which it is modified or embellished)
4. (1) version, variant, variation, edition -- (something a little different from others of the same type; "an experimental version of the night fighter"; "a variant of the same word"; "an emery wheel is the modern variation of a grindstone"; "the boy is a younger edition of his father")
5. (1) variation -- (an artifact that deviates from a norm or standard; "he patented a variation on the sandal")
6. magnetic declination, magnetic variation, variation -- (the angle (at a particular location) between magnetic north and true north)
7. variation -- (the process of varying or being varied)
8. variation -- ((astronomy) any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite (especially a perturbation of the earth's moon))
9. mutant, mutation, variation, sport -- ((biology) an organism that has characteristics resulting from chromosomal alteration)
10. pas seul, variation -- ((ballet) a solo dance or dance figure)
11. variation -- (the act of changing or altering something slightly but noticeably from the norm or standard; "who is responsible for these variations in taxation?")