The phrase 'has several functions' is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use this phrase when you would like to talk about something that has multiple uses or purposes. For example, "This kitchen appliance has several functions; it can be used to boil, fry, and grill food".
In my introduction to macroeconomics course, I teach my students that money has several functions.
Lactic acid produced by the starter culture organisms has several functions.
This part of the brain has several functions, Dr. Cohen said, including the task of detecting errors and conflict in the flow of information being processed automatically.
Their silence has several functions, since wonder can mean uncertainty as well as awe, and through the quiet, Marina's deeper confusions are about herself.
The site has several functions, including a U.S. map that allows users to enter an address or ZIP code to find water quality data for their location.
It is added to a concentration of a few grams Na2Cr2O7/liter to the electrolyte and has several functions in the process, the most important being to increase the Faradaic efficiency for hydrogen evolution in the undivided electrochemical cells.
He specifically pointed at Goldcorp, a Toronto-based company, which owns many major concessions throughout Mexico and has several functioning mines already at work.
"Awards shows have several functions: to reward excellence, but also to show the many forms excellence can occupy," says Mary McNamara, the Pulitzer prize-winning critic.
Mound-building mice (Mus spicilegus) construct large and often enormous mounds, which may have several functions, including food storage, thermoregulation, and protection from predators.
In their nonpolitical role, interest groups may have several functions, but, when they become enmeshed in the political sphere, they have one overriding goal: to gain favourable outcomes from public policy decisions.
