Frege's conception of sense and reference

Frege's conception distinguishes between "sense" and "reference" in how we understand words and statements. "Reference" is what a term or expression points to in the real world—for example, the name "Eiffel Tower" refers to that specific monument. "Sense," on the other hand, is the way in which that reference is presented or understood—the mental picture or concept associated with it. For instance, "the tallest building in Paris" has the same reference as "Eiffel Tower," but different senses through their descriptions. Frege's idea helps clarify how different expressions can refer to the same thing yet convey different meanings.