What is the word for a 'play on words' ?

Question

Accepted Answer

The word for a 'play on words' is a **pun**.

Here's why:

*   **Pun:** A pun is a humorous effect achieved by using a word in a way that suggests two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound. This directly aligns with the definition of a 'play on words'.

Here's why the other options are incorrect:

*   **Simile:** A simile is a figure of speech that compares two unlike things using "like" or "as." It's about making a comparison, not playing with the multiple meanings of words.
*   **Haiku:** A haiku is a traditional form of Japanese poetry consisting of three lines with a 5-7-5 syllable count. It's a specific poetic structure, not a linguistic device for humor.
*   **Metaphor:** A metaphor is a figure of speech that directly compares two unlike things without using "like" or "as," implying one thing *is* another. While metaphors can be clever, they don't rely on the multiple meanings of a single word in the same way a pun does.