Puns

A pun is a funny kind of joke. It uses words that sound alike or have two meanings. Puns make people laugh or sometimes groan. They are a fun way to play with language.

How Puns Work

Some puns use words that sound the same but mean different things. Others use one word that has two meanings. The joke works when your brain switches between the two. Puns are sometimes called 'dad jokes.'

A car with a silly license plate that makes a sheep pun.
A car with a silly license plate that makes a sheep pun. (Pi.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons)

Examples of Puns

Why did the math book look sad? Because it had too many problems. Here, 'problems' means both math problems and troubles. 'I used to be a baker, but I couldn't make enough dough' is another pun. 'Dough' means both bread dough and money.

Fun Facts

  • Shakespeare loved puns and used them often in his plays.
  • April 1st is sometimes called National Pun Day in the United States.
  • The word 'pun' first appeared in English about 400 years ago.

Did You Know?

Puns are one of the oldest kinds of jokes, and even ancient Egyptians wrote them down.