pun /pən/

noun

noun: pun; plural noun: puns

• a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word or the fact that there are words that sound alike but have different meanings.

"the pigs were a squeal (if you'll forgive the pun)"

verb

verb: pun; 3rd person present: puns; past tense: punned; past participle: punned; gerund or present participle: punning

• make a joke exploiting the different possible meanings of a word.

"his first puzzle punned on composers, with answers like “Handel with care” and “Haydn go seek”