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Fun Puns

Puns are jokes that use different meanings of the same or similar sounding words. English spelling allows different words with the same sound to be spelled differently, so there is more opportunity in English for puns. Puns are very difficult to understand unless you know both meanings of the words. Although there is an expression in English, “If you have to explain the joke, it is no longer funny,” I will try anyway.

When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds.

The pun here is on the words seconds and four/for. Seconds has two meanings: a measure of time (60 seconds in 1 minute), and a second helping or serving of food. For example, if you are eating at home and your spouse asks you if you want “seconds,” s/he means “Do you want another serving of the food you just ate?” Four is a number (4), and for is a preposition. To go back for seconds means to go get more food. To go back four seconds means the clock reverses in time four seconds. So this is a “double pun,” in that we are “punning” on the words seconds and four.

Don’t worry if you don’t think the joke is funny. I liked it, but I really like puns!


12 Responses to “Fun Puns”

  1. emiliano Says:

    Jeff, you like it because you like to eat just a lot, I know that.
    We spanish are very fond to double meanings in words, or in phrases, specially double meaning about sex, and it is really very difficult to catch it when there are friends talking fast making jokes about that question.
    You have to know the lenguage perfertly, and also to have a lot of imagination, always taking it by the malicious or amusing side. I suppose that every country and lenguage has the same play when friends are talking in relax.
    The joke is good Jeff, seriously, I want to listen some more please (english cafe?) and it should be good if we could remember some of them to be proud about our command of English.

  2. Gulls Says:

    I like it too.
    Wat was was voordat was was was ( Dutch ).
    What was wax before wax was wax ( translated ).


  3. Fred Says:

    Very nice
    I think we can do some puns when we control the langage.


  4. Francesco Says:

    Hi all,

    what about this one?

    Can a match box?
    No, but a tin can!

    Bye guys.

  5. ?? Says:

    Thank you, Jeff & Lucy. Your English-learning materials are very detailed and attainable.
    I regret not to be able to know this source as early as possible.
    However, thank god that I started making this resource my top priority on the daily English-learning schedule immediately after I found it.

    Thanks again for your good job.


  6. Monique Says:

    Excellent Dr. McQuillan!
    We are really hungry for pun’s power.

  7. emiliano Says:

    In spanish “suspirar” is to sigh, and “pirarse” is to clear off.

    A boy ask to his girlfriend (in spanish) suspirais amor?…no, me quedo
    the traslation has not meaning………( a boy ask to his girlfriend, do you sigh love?…, no, I don’t I stay)
    This is just another pun in spanish…….but you need a great knowledge of the lenguage as you told us before.
    Thanks Jeff, you always are activating our neurons.

  8. Mohammed Osama Says:

    Great Jeff,
    “I can can the can, but the can can’t can me”.It’s not a pun, however. But I like it.

  9. ESLPodcast Google Group Says:

    Hey jeff, other interesting topic to talk about is those “Tongue Twister” Phrases…



  10. Emile Says:

    We are very hungry to listen to Dr. Jeff more then 3 times a week

  11. fátima Says:

    :) funny!!

    ¿Usted cómo come?
    ¿Que cómo como? Como como como.

  12. fátima Says:

    sorry, I forgot to translate the spanish pun, more or less:

    How you eat?
    How I eat? I eat like I eat

    nonsense in english, actually