Why are there two readings of 留める?


It seems like 留める can be read as either とめる or とどめる. JED, my Android
dictionary app, cites とどめる, and [so does
wiktionary](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%95%99%E3%82%81%E3%82%8B). But
wiktionary's [kanji entry](http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E7%95%99#Japanese)
for 留, it lists とめる, とどまる, and とまる as kun readings, not とどめる; my IME also
accepts both とめる and とどめる when typing 留める, and my Anki cards generate 留【と】める
when I type in とめる. Is this a wiktionary boo-boo, or are there two ways to
read 留める? If so, which is more commonly used?

Please clarify other kanji you use in an answer with furigana.




It's **NOT** 留める has two readings, but **_two similar but distinct words_**
share the written form 留める.

As for how different (or how similar) they are, I could say the main
difference between とめる and とどめる is
[aspect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_aspect). The figure below
explains how.

EDIT: Note that `とめる` only happens in the transitional duration, while `とどめる`
does as long as you're keeping it still (maybe forever). ![とめる vs
とどめる](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ly3W0.png)




It's **NOT** 留める has two readings, but **_two similar but distinct words_**
share the written form 留める.

As for how different (or how similar) they are, I could say the main
difference between とめる and とどめる is
[aspect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_aspect). The figure below
explains how.

EDIT: Note that `とめる` only happens in the transitional duration, while `とどめる`
does as long as you're keeping it still (maybe forever). ![とめる vs
とどめる](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Ly3W0.png)

