Puns In Everyday Language

1. What do all puns have in common?

They play with words that have double meanings or similar sounds.

They use serious tone.

They repeat letters.

They rhyme.

All puns use wordplay by taking advantage of words that have more than one meaning or sound like other words.

Explanation

All puns use wordplay by taking advantage of words that have more than one meaning or sound like other words.

2. “The librarian said it was past due time to read.” What’s the pun?

“Past due” means both late and time passing.

It’s an exaggeration.

It’s rhyme.

It’s sarcasm.

“Past due” refers to overdue library books and also suggests time has passed.

Explanation

“Past due” refers to overdue library books and also suggests time has passed.

3. Puns can make jokes more clever by using word relationships.

True

False

Puns rely on relationships between word sounds or meanings, which adds cleverness to jokes.

Explanation

Puns rely on relationships between word sounds or meanings, which adds cleverness to jokes.

4. “The optometrist fell into his lens grinder and made a spectacle of himself.” What’s the pun?

“Spectacle” means both scene and eyeglasses.

It’s exaggeration.

It’s a rhyme.

It’s sarcasm.

“Spectacle” refers to both something embarrassing to watch and a pair of glasses.

Explanation

“Spectacle” refers to both something embarrassing to watch and a pair of glasses.

5. Which line includes a pun?

The baker kneaded the job.

The oven was hot.

The bread smelled good.

The flour spilled.

“Kneaded” sounds like “needed,” creating a pun based on similar sounds.

Explanation

“Kneaded” sounds like “needed,” creating a pun based on similar sounds.

6. A pun can also reveal a character’s clever personality.

True

False

Using puns can show that a character is witty or playful with language.

Explanation

Using puns can show that a character is witty or playful with language.

7. “The thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.” What’s the pun?

“Twelve months” means both a year in jail and the months of a calendar.

He bought a calendar.

It’s rhyme.

It’s sarcasm.

“Twelve months” refers to both a jail sentence and the calendar pages.

Explanation

“Twelve months” refers to both a jail sentence and the calendar pages.

8. Which sentence is NOT a pun?

The gardener’s business is growing.

The fisherman is hooked.

The teacher explained the lesson.

The farmer was outstanding in his field.

“The teacher explained the lesson” has only a literal meaning and no wordplay.

Explanation

“The teacher explained the lesson” has only a literal meaning and no wordplay.

9. “I’m reading a book on electricity—it’s shocking!” What’s the pun?

“Shocking” means surprising and related to electricity.

It rhymes.

It’s exaggeration.

It’s sarcasm.

“Shocking” refers to both surprise and electrical current.

Explanation

“Shocking” refers to both surprise and electrical current.

10. “The man didn’t want to play cards with the jungle animals because they were cheetahs.” The pun can be explained as:

“Cheetahs” sounds like “cheeters.”

It’s about animals.

It’s rhyme.

It’s exaggeration.

“Cheetahs” sounds like “cheaters,” creating humor through sound similarity.

Explanation

“Cheetahs” sounds like “cheaters,” creating humor through sound similarity.

11. The main purpose of a pun is to accomplish which of the following?

Use clever wordplay for humor or emphasis

Create suspense

Make dialogue longer

Explain grammar

Puns use clever wordplay to add humor, emphasis, and creativity to writing.

Explanation

Puns use clever wordplay to add humor, emphasis, and creativity to writing.

12. Match each pun to its meaning: (A) Upholstery machine/recovered (B) Music teacher/treble (C) Broken pencil/pointless

A–1: “Recovered” = healed and covered with fabric

B–2: “Treble” = music note and trouble

C–3: “Pointless” = dull and meaningless

Each pun uses a word with two meanings to create humor.

Explanation

Each pun uses a word with two meanings to create humor.

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13. Puns show how words can connect ________ and meanings.

Many puns depend on words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Explanation

Many puns depend on words that sound alike but have different meanings.

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14. Some puns can be used to teach word meanings.

True

False

Puns help readers notice and learn multiple meanings of words.

Explanation

Puns help readers notice and learn multiple meanings of words.

15. Puns make readers notice a writer’s sense of ________.

Puns highlight a writer’s humor by using clever and playful word choices.

Explanation

Puns highlight a writer’s humor by using clever and playful word choices.

Submit

Puns in Everyday Language

1. What do all puns have in common?

2. “The librarian said it was past due time to read.” What’s the pun?

3. Puns can make jokes more clever by using word relationships.

4. “The optometrist fell into his lens grinder and made a spectacle of himself.” What’s the pun?

5. Which line includes a pun?

6. A pun can also reveal a character’s clever personality.

7. “The thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.” What’s the pun?

8. Which sentence is NOT a pun?

9. “I’m reading a book on electricity—it’s shocking!” What’s the pun?

10. “The man didn’t want to play cards with the jungle animals because they were cheetahs.” The pun can be explained as:

11. The main purpose of a pun is to accomplish which of the following?

12. Match each pun to its meaning: (A) Upholstery machine/recovered (B) Music teacher/treble (C) Broken pencil/pointless

13. Puns show how words can connect ________ and meanings.

14. Some puns can be used to teach word meanings.

15. Puns make readers notice a writer’s sense of ________.