Which term is a joke that exploits the different meanings of a word?

• A. Metaphor
• B. Pun
• C. Idiom
• D. Alliteration

Answer: (B)

A pun uses a word's multiple meanings to create humor. The joke hinges on treating a word as if it has more than one meaning at once, or on using words that sound alike but have different meanings. For example: I used to be a baker, but I couldn't make enough dough. Here, “dough” plays on two meanings—bread dough and money—producing the joke.

Metaphor, by contrast, makes a direct comparison between unlike things without relying on a word’s multiple meanings. An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning isn’t obvious from the individual words. Alliteration focuses on sound, repeating the same initial consonant sounds, and doesn’t depend on a word’s multiple meanings for humor.