Sep 07

Pun Definition and Examples

This figurative language lesson on puns includes a free organizer and digital resource. 4th, 5th, and 6th graders will love these fun activities. This lesson covers the definition with examples appropriate for upper elementary students.

A pun is a joke misusing the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

Here are a couple of examples:

A chicken farmer’s favorite car is a coupe.

She had a photographic memory but never developed it.

More Examples of Puns 

I am a baker because I knead the dough.
Dough – a mixture used to make bread, cookies, etc. OR money

 

 

It’s pointless to write with a broken pencil.
Pointless – needless OR without a point as in broken

 

 

What do you call a sleeping bull? —- A bulldozer.
Dozer – a person who sleeps or a vehicle with a power shovel

 

 

I was struggling to figure out how lightning works when it struck me.
Struck – hit in a forceful way OR to occur to someone

 

 

What was the reporter doing at the ice cream shop? —- Getting the scoop!
Scoop – the amount of something that is held in a scoop OR to report a news story before any other newspaper

 

 

What do you get from a pampered cow? —- Spoiled milk.
Spoiled – lose freshness OR to give someone everything that he or she wants

Free Pun Activities

Read the definition of pun and find examples with this free mini lesson on puns.
Free Mini Lesson on Puns - includes a Video, Slides, and Printables

This lesson introduces students to the concept of puns. This mini-lesson is a vocabulary-building exercise for upper elementary and middle school students.

In this mini-lesson, students watch the video. The video goes over the definition and a couple of examples. Next students pause the video to complete either the digital or printable organizer. After completing the organizer, students continue watching the video to check their responses. This activity makes a great introduction to a lesson on puns.

Activities in this free series are set up as individual lessons making them great to assign through Google Classroom. Click here to download the free activities from Google Drive.

This link takes you to the digital version which contains the video lesson.

Here you will find the printable version.

Want to Dig Deeper?

Activity#1

In this “10 Tearable Puns” activity, students explain the meanings of puns.

Activity#2

Have students use homophones to write jokes containing puns. This is a great vocabulary builder as well as teaching students to use words in context. This free printable contains a set of homophone cards on pages 9 and 10 to get students started.

Activity #3

This link takes you to “Jokes in English for the ESL/EFL Classroom.” The list of jokes containing puns found at this site can be incorporated into your lesson.

 

 

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