7 types of puns, with examples
Not all puns are built the same way. Linguists have names for several kinds, and knowing them makes puns easier to spot and much easier to write. Here are seven common types, each with an example.
1. Homophonic puns
Two different words that sound the same. "I used to be a banker, but I lost interest." There is no spelling trick here: "interest" simply means two things, being curious and money earned on a loan.
2. Homographic puns
Words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. "The bandage was wound around the wound." The word looks identical both times, but the sound and meaning change.
3. Near-sound puns
Words that sound almost alike but not exactly. "A bicycle can't stand on its own because it is two-tired." "Two-tired" is not the same as "too tired", but it is close enough for your ear to fill in the gap.
4. Compound puns
A single joke that packs in several puns at once. "The tailor who wore a wool suit was a little sheepish, but he really was dressed to kill the wool market." These are rarer, and they work best when each pun builds on the last.
5. Visual puns
The wordplay is in a picture, not in a sentence. A cartoon of a hot dog sitting on a beach, labelled "hot dog", is a visual pun. Our channel uses this a lot: the cartoon characters and their scenes are often part of the joke.
6. Recursive puns
You need to understand the joke before you understand the joke. They are a favourite among programmers and word lovers, and they are usually more clever than funny.
7. Tom Swifties
A Tom Swifty links an adverb to what is being said. "'I've lost my pencil,' said Tom, pointlessly." The adverb is the pun. They are named after a series of old adventure books where the author liked colourful speech tags.
Which type is best?
There is no best one. Homophonic and near-sound puns are the easiest to tell out loud, which is why most dad jokes use them. Visual puns are perfect for video and cartoons. If you want to write your own, our guide How to write your own pun in 5 steps starts with the simplest kind.
New to all this? Start with What is a pun?