It's okay for the shapes in a tessellation to overlap to cover up any gaps

False

It is actually not okay for the shapes in a tessellation to overlap to cover up any gaps or to overlap for any other reason whatsoever because, by definition, a tessellation is comprised of shapes that make up a pattern that are so perfectly arranged that no gaps could possibly exist. If any gaps existed, then naturally, the design could not possibly be a tessellation. A good example of a tessellation is the pattern of a soccer ball.