A homonym is a word that looks and/or sounds like another word with a different meaning, so it's really important to keep an eye out.
Expect the Unexpected!
Don't be afraid, but be wary: homonyms lurk all over the English language. It's as if they are there to confuse people. Luckily, the confusion results in a plethora of surprises and funny situations. Most jokes hinge on confusion since people find the unexpected exhilarating and entertaining. If you can get a couple examples of homonyms into your active vocabulary, you'll be the life of the party, and everyone will love to speak with you.
Examples of Homonyms in Jokes
These jokes are not the kind you want to bring out when you're trying to win friends and influence people, but looking at them will help show the splendor of homonyms.
Consider this age-old zinger:
Historic figures are not immune to the hilarity of homonyms either.
Q: What's purple and conquered the world?
A: Alexander the Grape!
Not quite the knee slapper either, but this joke is an even better example of homonyms in action. Grapes are purple, and "grape" sounds close enough to "great" to act like a homonym here, but that's not nearly all. Concord is a type of grape, and "concord" is a homonym with "conquered." It's really quite clever when you think about it, and the leaps of the mind to make all those connections in a few moments is pretty amazing not to mention enjoyable.