change vs variation

change

noun
  • The process of becoming different. 

  • A change-up pitch. 

  • An amount of cash, usually in the form of coins, but sometimes inclusive of paper money. 

  • Small denominations of money given in exchange for a larger denomination. 

  • Balance of money returned from the sum paid after deducting the price of a purchase. 

  • A transfer between vehicles. 

  • Any order in which a number of bells are struck, other than that of the diatonic scale. 

  • A replacement. 

verb
  • To replace one's clothing. 

  • To replace the clothing of (the one wearing it). 

  • To change hand while riding (a horse). 

  • To transfer to another vehicle (train, bus, etc.) 

  • To become something different. 

  • To make something into something else. 

  • To replace. 

variation

noun
  • The act of varying; a partial change in the form, position, state, or qualities of a thing. 

  • Deviation from the mean orbit of a heavenly body. 

  • The angular difference at the vessel between the direction of true north and magnetic north. 

  • A related but distinct thing. 

  • A line of play that differs from the original. 

  • The modification of a hereditary trait. 

  • A technique where material is repeated with alterations to the melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, texture, counterpoint or orchestration; but with some invariant characteristic, e.g. a ground bass. 

How often have the words change and variation occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )