poetic device: Pun Poems

Puns are words or phrases with double meanings. That is, they can be taken in either of two ways, which can sometimes be very funny. Pun poems are poems that use puns to make you laugh.

Some puns are homophones, words that sound alike, but are spelled differently, such as “I have bear feet.” Others are homonyms, words that are spelled the same but have different meanings, such as “these batteries are free of charge.” Some are simply words that sound similar, such as “Today in the garden I wet my plants.” Still others are phrases that can mean two different things depending on whether you take them literally or figuratively, such as “the weight lifter held up a bank.”

These pun poems all include words or phrases with double meanings, either at the end or throughout the poem. See if you can count how many poems are in each.

I Grew a Foot this Summer by Kenn Nesbitt
I Grew a Foot this Summer
A Pair of Potatoes Were Talking by Kenn Nesbitt
A Pair of Potatoes Were Talking
Snail Race by Kenn Nesbitt
Snail Race
Ogden Myers by Kenn Nesbitt
Ogden Myers Spun His Tires
Pete the Pirate Wannabe by Kenn Nesbitt
Pete the Pirate Wannabe
Jake the Yo-Yo Maker
Belinda’s an Expert at Bathing
My Camel Fights
Boney Mahoney
Santa’s Suit
The Monsters' Musical Contest by Kenn Nesbitt
The Monsters’ Musical Contest
I’m Told By My Snail
The Werewolf's Undergarment Store by Kenn Nesbitt
The Werewolf’s Undergarment Store
My Old Uncle Wheeler by Kenn Nesbitt
My Old Uncle Wheeler
Horse Tale by Kenn Nesbitt
Horse Tale
While at the Sofa Factory by Kenn Nesbitt
While at the Sofa Factory
I Bought a New Tank For My Goldfish
The Size of Yankee Stadium by Kenn Nesbitt
The Size of Yankee Stadium
Buckaroo Huck