"Saluer" versus "salut"

Has somebody noticed how ambiguous is that verb that verb is... ?

I mean, if you use it AS A VERB, it still bears the classical original meaning of "honoring",(new sentence) in the past you could even accompany your introductive words with a little bow or "révérence"...

"Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce..."

But if you use it as a commonplace casual/informal interjection :(comma) "salut" is an absolutely casual expression that you couldn't can't take the freedom to use in front of a teacher for example !

"Salut les gars, salut les amis..." etc