contention vs dispute

contention and dispute both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
contention	Yes	No	No	No
dispute	Yes	No	Yes	No

As nouns, dispute is a hypernym of contention; that is, dispute is a word with a broader meaning than contention:

contention: a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement
dispute: a disagreement or argument about something important

Other hypernyms of contention include conflict, difference, difference of opinion.

contention (noun)	dispute (noun)
the act of competing as for profit or a prize	coming into conflict with
a contentious speech act; a dispute where there is strong disagreement	a disagreement or argument about something important
a point asserted as part of an argument

contention (verb)	dispute (verb)
	take exception to
	have a disagreement over something