Pun Patrol Cards
PUN PATROL HEADQUARTERS
Figurative Language & Pun Decoder Game Mat
AGENT: ___________________
DATE: _________
The 3 Pun Rules: How to Crack Wordplay & Idioms Don't get tricked by literal words!
1
The Literal Trap
Picture what the words literally say. Does that make sense in real life, or is it silly?
2
The Hidden Meaning
Find the secret message or expression. What is the speaker really trying to say?
3
The Joke Connection
Spot why it's funny: Did two meanings or similar-sounding words crash together?
Pun Patrol Mission Tracker
Solve each Pun & Idiom Card, then place a token or check off the case badge!
Goal: 12 Solved Cases
#01
PENCIL
#02
BAKER
#03
TRAIN
#04
TREBLE
#05
CLOCK
#06
SKELETON
#07
BEANS
#08
THE FENCE
#09
TOO MUCH
#10
WEATHER
#11
COLD FEET
#12
BREAK A LEG
TUTORIAL DEMO
Warm-Up Joke Mystery: The Sick Banana
Joke: "Why did the banana go to the doctor? Because it wasn't peeling well!"
1
The Literal Meaning
A banana's yellow skin is being taken off (peeling).
2
The Pun Sound-Alike
"Peeling well" sounds just like "feeling well" (healthy)!
Cut out Cards on Pages 2 & 3 to play! Page 1 • Pun Patrol Game Mat
PUN CARDS SET A: CLEVER WORDPLAY & PUNS
Cut along dashed borders • 6 Cards
CASE #01 PUN TARGET
"Writing with a broken pencil really has no point!"
What are the two meanings in this pun?
A No sharp graphite tip to write, AND no useful reason to do it
B The pencil is too dark, AND it has no pink eraser cap on top
Word clue: "Point" means both a tip AND a good purpose!
CASE #02 PUN TARGET
"The baker woke up early because she really kneaded the dough!"
What are the two meanings in this pun?
A Pressing bread flour with hands, AND needing money to earn a living
B Eating warm cinnamon rolls, AND washing dirty baking pans
Sound-alike: "Knead" sounds like "need", and "dough" means money!
CASE #03 PUN TARGET
"The conductor got confused because the train lost its track."
What are the two meanings in this pun?
A Coming off the railroad rails, AND losing focus or forgetting a plan
B Running out of train whistle steam, AND stopping at a ticket booth
Word clue: "Losing track" is both physical rails and mental focus!
CASE #04 PUN TARGET
"The noisy musicians got into a lot of treble at band practice."
Why is this a funny musical pun?
A "Treble" is a high music clef, which sounds just like "trouble"
B The band broke a drumstick and had to borrow another instrument
Sound-alike: Say "treble" and "trouble" out loud together!
CASE #05 PUN TARGET
"At lunch, the school clock was hungry and went back for seconds!"
What two meanings create the joke?
A Ticking units of time, AND getting a second plate of cafeteria food
B The clock had two shiny hands, AND it rang a bell at twelve o'clock
Word clue: Clocks tick in seconds, and diners eat seconds!
CASE #06 PUN TARGET
"The skeleton avoided the spooky ride because he had no guts."
What are the two meanings of "no guts"?
A Lacking physical stomach organs, AND lacking bravery or courage
B Wearing no warm clothes, AND having no money to buy ride tickets
Idiom clue: "Having guts" means being brave when scared!
Pun & Wordplay Cards (Cases 1-6) Page 2 • Pun Patrol Cards
PUN CARDS SET B: FIGURATIVE IDIOM AMBIGUITY
Cut along dashed borders • 6 Cards
CASE #07 FIGURATIVE IDIOM
"It's a surprise birthday party, so please don't spill the beans!"
What does the speaker actually mean?
A Do not accidentally reveal the secret party to the birthday child
B Do not drop a can of cooked green beans onto the kitchen floor
Context check: There is no dinner cooking—it's about a secret!
CASE #08 FIGURATIVE IDIOM
"When asked which game to play, Leo was sitting on the fence."
What is Leo doing in this situation?
A Having trouble deciding and staying undecided between choices
B Climbing outside and balancing on top of a wooden yard fence
Visual hint: When you're in the middle of two sides, you haven't picked!
CASE #09 FIGURATIVE IDIOM
"With three sports and piano, Jay bit off more than he could chew."
What happened to Jay?
A He took on too many activities and cannot handle all the work
B He took a giant bite of an apple that was too hard to swallow
Context check: Sports and piano are busy schedules, not snacks!
CASE #10 FIGURATIVE IDIOM
"Emma stayed wrapped in blankets because she was under the weather."
What does "under the weather" mean here?
A Feeling sick with a cold, fever, or illness and needing rest
B Standing outside beneath a gray rain cloud during a storm
Clue hunter: Look at "wrapped in blankets" inside her home!
CASE #11 FIGURATIVE IDIOM
"Right before walking onstage to speak, the actor got cold feet."
What feeling did the actor experience?
A Suddenly feeling very nervous, scared, and hesitant to perform
B Stepping barefoot into a pile of cold winter snow
Emotion check: When nervous before a crowd, our body freezes!
CASE #12 THEATER IDIOM
"Before the violin concert, the teacher smiled and said, 'Break a leg!'"
What was the teacher wishing the student?
A Wishing them great good luck and a wonderful musical performance
B Hoping they would trip on the stairs and hurt their knee bone
No danger: In theater, this strange saying actually means good luck!
Figurative Idiom Cards (Cases 7-12) Page 3 • Pun Patrol Cards
CHIEF DETECTIVE CASE FILES
Answer Key & ASD Figurative Scaffolding Guide
Educator / SLP Guide
Master Solution Key & Pun Breakdown
#01 Pencil: Option A (Graphite tip + Purpose)
#07 Spill Beans: Option A (Reveal secret)
#02 Baker: Option A (Knead bread + Money)
#08 On the Fence: Option A (Undecided/stuck)
#03 Train: Option A (Rail tracks + Focus)
#09 Too Much: Option A (Overwhelmed by tasks)
#04 Treble: Option A (High clef + Trouble)
#10 Weather: Option A (Feeling sick/unwell)
#05 Clock: Option A (Time units + Food portion)
#11 Cold Feet: Option A (Nervous/hesitant)
#06 Skeleton: Option A (No stomach + No courage)
#12 Break a Leg: Option A (Good luck greeting)
ASD Concrete Bridging Strategies (Literal vs Figurative)
1. Dual-Picture Draw
Sketch the literal scene (e.g., green beans spilling) and the real scene (telling a secret). Ask: "Which one is actually happening?"
2. Sound-Alike Bridge
For puns (dough/need, treble/trouble), write both words on paper. Say them out loud to connect the auditory play on words.
3. Literal Alarm Check
Address anxiety: Validate that "break a leg" sounds scary, then explicitly teach that theater performers use it as a code word for good luck.
OFFICIAL BADGE AWARD
CERTIFIED PUN & IDIOM DETECTIVE
Awarded for cracking double meanings, catching wordplay, and mastering figurative clues!
SIGNATURE: _________________
BADGE DATE: _______________
Facilitator Answer Key & Certificate Page 4 • Pun Patrol Cards
