In plain language
The same feature must be labeled/named the same way everywhere.
Who it affects
Screen-reader users and people with cognitive disabilities who rely on consistent naming.
How to check
List repeated features (search, download, cart) across pages: names, icons and alt text should match. Worked example — A childcare-booking service's scheduling page: compare a repeated function's icon and accessible name across pages (e.g., 'next' chevrons): different names ('Next', 'Continue', 'Forward') for the identical function fail.
Common misconception
Calling the same feature “Search” in one place and “Find” in another feels like harmless variation to a copywriter, but it forces users to relearn the interface on every page. Real example: on an online spreadsheet's toolbar, the same feature is labeled differently on different pages (e.g., 'Search' here, 'Find' there), confusing users who rely on consistency.