a strategic location or essential passage providing access to a place

a door or entrance to a house; doors and windows

a sect, school of thought, or political faction; often used in the context of partisan bias or internal strife

the social standing, prestige, or pedigree of a family

a web portal; an internet entry point

(archaic) a brothel; a house of prostitution

(martial arts) a fighting stance or defensive position

a family or household as a unit, or a family's financial independence

(figurative) the key to a matter; a crucial mechanism or turning point