Wordplay Jokes | 64 Funny Puns, Dad Jokes & More
Wordplay (or “play on words”) is the art of manipulating language to create humor, wit, or clever twists in meaning.
Maybe you named your pet rat “Ratthew.” Or perhaps you think becoming vegetarian was a huge missed steak. Do you know why skeletons don’t fight each other? They don’t have the guts!
This article contains a list of 64 wordplay jokes, like puns, dad jokes, and more.
What is wordplay?
Wordplays often appear as jokes, literary devices, riddles and puzzles, and advertising slogans. They’re a fun and engaging way to make language more entertaining. Wordplays come in many forms, and a few of the most common ones are listed below.
| Wordplay | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pun | Takes advantage of homophones or words that have multiple meanings (also known as “paranomasia”) | I used to be a baker, but I couldn’t make enough dough. |
| Dad joke | Simple, corny, groan-worthy joke that relies on an often-predictable punchline | Why did the electric car feel discriminated against? Because the rules weren’t current. |
| Paraprosdokian | A figure of speech where the second part of a phrase or sentence is unexpected and humorous | Where there’s a will, I want to be in it. |
| Portmanteau | A word created by combining two other words | Hangry |
| Mondegreen | Occurs when mishearing a line in a a song or poem creates a humorous twist | Hearing “Sweet dreams are made of cheese” instead of “Sweet dreams are made of this” in Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” |
| Double entendre | Has two meanings, often with one being innocent and the other being risqué | The newspaper headline “Children make delicious snacks” |
Wordplay examples
Below you can find a list of wordplay jokes, organized by type.
Funny puns
Get your daily dose of humor with these funny puns.
- I told my wife she was drawing her eyebrows too high. She looked surprised.
- I’m reading a book about anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down!
- I told my suitcase that there will be no vacations this year. Now I’m dealing with emotional baggage.
- He’s addicted to brake fluid, but it’s okay because he can stop at any time.
- What do you call a factory that makes good products? A satisfactory.
- How can you spot a nosy pepper? It gets jalapeño business!
- What did the grape say when it got stepped on? Nothing, it just let out a little wine.
- Did you ever notice that owls never say “whom?”
- What was Forrest Gump’s email password? 1forrest1
- What do you call an alligator in a vest? An investigator.
- If a kid won’t nap, is that “resisting a rest?”
- I bought a new vacuum … it really sucks!
- To the guy who invented zero, thanks for nothing.
- My neighbor got a horse; now he’s the neigh-bor I always hear!
- My rabbit’s name? Bun-jamin.
- The past, the present, and the future all walk into a bar. It was tense.
- I’m glad I know sign language, it’s pretty handy.
- Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
- I went to a zoo the other day, but there was only one dog there. It was a Shitzu.
- I tried to make a joke about rhythm … but I just couldn’t beat the best ones!
Short dad jokes
Dad jokes like these could be great additions to Father’s Day poetry or cards.
- How do cows stay up to date? They read the moos-paper.
- What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear.
- I can’t believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off.
- I asked the librarian if the library had books on paranoia. She whispered, “They’re right behind you.”
- What do you call a sheep who can sing and dance? Lady Ba Ba.
- What do you call a broken can opener? A can’t opener.
- What did the sushi say to the bee? Wasabee!
- Why don’t oysters donate to charity? Because they’re shellfish.
- What did the quilt say to the bed after it fell on the floor? “Oh, sheet!”
- Who is the penguin’s favorite Aunt? Aunt-Arctica!
- Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants? In case he got a hole in one.
- Did you hear about the accident at the shoe factory? Many soles were lost.
- Where’s the best place to save your dad jokes? In a dadda-base.
- Who won the neck decorating contest? It was a tie.
- Want to hear a joke about paper? Never mind, it’s tearable.
- Two windmills were sitting on a hill. One asks the other, “Do you have a favorite song?” The other replies, “Well… all my life I have been a heavy metal fan.”
- Why did the bicycle fall over? Because it was two-tired.
- What do you call a dog magician? A Labracadabrador Retriever.
- What do you call a dinosaur with an extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
- What did the drummer say when he had to start the song over? “Oh well, back to snare one.”
“What’s the difference between” jokes
Make a difference with these jokes.
- What’s the difference between an alligator and a crocodile? You’ll see one later and one in a while.
- What’s the difference between a piano, a tuna, and glue? You can tuna piano, but you can’t piano a tuna … and I knew you’d get stuck on the glue!
- What’s the difference between a hippo and a zippo? One is really heavy, and the other is a little lighter.
- What is the difference between a well dressed man on a unicycle and a poorly dressed man on a bicycle? Attire.
- What’s the difference between ignorance and apathy? I don’t know, and I don’t care.
- What’s the difference between a cat and a comma? A cat has claws at the end of its paws, and a comma is a pause at the end of a clause.
- What’s the difference between a scratch-and-sniff book and a witch’s book? One is a book of smells; the other is a book of spells.
- What’s the difference between Batman and a shoplifter? Batman can go into a store without Robin.
- What’s the difference between a teacher and a train? The teacher says, “Spit out that gum,” and the train says, “Chew, chew!”
- What’s the difference between a kleptomaniac and a literalist? The literalist takes things literally. The kleptomaniac takes things, literally.
- What’s the difference between a history teacher and a clock? The clock keeps going forward, but the history teacher keeps looking back.
- What’s the difference between America & a pen drive? One is the USA and the other is a USB.
- What’s the difference between a greedy person and a crayfish? One is selfish; the other is shellfish.
- What’s the difference between an Italian barber and an angry circus ringmaster? One’s a shaving Roman and the others a raving showman.
- What’s the difference between the bird flu and the swine flu? One requires tweetment and the other an oinkment.
- What’s the difference between a pair of genes and a pair of jeans? One is hereditary; the other helps her get ready.
- What’s the difference between a pirate and a jeweler? One watches the seas while the other sees the watches.
- What’s the difference between Iron Man and Aluminum Man? Iron Man stops the bad guy, Aluminum Man foils their plans.
- What’s the difference between spring rolls and summer rolls? Their seasoning.
- What is the difference between an atheistic shop and a religious shop? An atheistic shop is non-prophet.
- Paraprosdokian – I ordered fries along with my burger… because balance is important.
- Mondegreen of “Tiny Dancer” by Elton John – “Hold me closer, Tony Danza”
- Double entendre – “Do you keep stationery?” “Well, I wriggle about sometimes!”
- Portmanteau – Whiskers is full of “cattitude.”
Frequently asked questions about wordplay jokes
- What are some funny food puns?
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Some funny food puns are:
- Lettuce romaine calm.
- Don’t go bacon my heart!
- You’re one in a melon.
- I’m on a seafood diet. I see food, and I eat it.
- Olive you so much!
- You butter believe it!
- Life is gouda with cheese.
- That’s nacho problem!
- This is soup-erb!
- I donut know what I’d do without you.
- You’re soda-lightful.
Funny food puns are just one subset of wordplay jokes. If you want to create your own puns, try QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to find creative options for your intended meaning.
- What are some funny Thanksgiving puns?
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Some funny Thanksgiving puns are:
- I yam what I yam!
- You’re the apple of my pie.
- Let’s get basted!
- I sure am plucky to be eating this meal!
- Let’s give ‘em pumpkin to talk about.
- It’s so easy to lose track of thyme during the holidays.
- Thankful, blessed, and mashed potato obsessed.
Funny Thanksgiving puns are one type of wordplay jokes. If writing your own puns, QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you find creative word choices.
- What are some funny dog puns?
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Some funny dog puns are:
- You’ve got to be pugging kidding me!
- That joke was ruff!
- I’m feeling quite fetching today.
- Let’s raise the woof!
- This is a total bark-gain!
- Anything is paw-sible with a dog by your side!
- Let’s have a little terrier-fic time together.
- My dog’s favorite kind of music? Bark and roll!
Dog puns are one category of wordplay jokes. If writing your own jokes, QuillBot’s free Paraphraser can help you come up with creative word choices.
- What are some funny cat puns?
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Some funny cat puns are:
- You’ve got to be kitten me right meow!
- That was claw-some!
- I’m paws-itively thrilled!
- You look fur-midable today!
- I’m totally feline good about this!
- Let’s paws for a moment of appreciation.
- You’re the purr-son I’ve been looking for!
- My cat is so smart, he deserves a meow-ster’s degree!
If you’re writing wordplay jokes like funny cat puns, use QuillBot’s Paraphraser to get more creative word choices.
- What are some funny name puns?
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Some funny name puns are:
- Anita bath.
- Clare-ly, I need more coffee!
- Noah good joke? Because I do!
- Al be there for you!
- Paige me when you need me.
- Justin time for the meeting!
- Luke who’s talking!
- Ben there, done that!
If writing wordplay jokes like funny name puns, try QuillBot’s Paraphraser to come up with more creative word choices.
