What is the difference between a homographic and homophonic pun
A homographic pun is a play on words in which two words that look similar are used in a humorous or clever way, while a homophonic pun is a play on words in which two words that sound similar are used in a humorous or clever way.
In a homographic pun, the humor comes from the double meaning of visually similar words, such as "I used to be a baker, but I couldn't make enough dough" where "dough" can refer to both money and bread.
In a homophonic pun, the humor comes from the double meaning of words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings, such as "I used to play piano by ear, but now I use my hands" where "by ear" and "by hand" are homophones.
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In this case, a homographic pun could be: "I used to be a barber, but I couldn't cut it" where "cut it" can mean both succeeding at something and physically cutting hair.
A homophonic pun could be: "I used to be a baker, but I kneaded a change" where "kneaded" sounds like "needed" and refers to the act of kneading dough in baking.
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A simpler example of a homographic pun could be: "I'm reading a book on anti-gravity. It's impossible to put down." where "put down" means both physically putting something down and being unable to stop reading the book.
A straightforward homophonic pun could be: "I used to have a fear of hurdles, but I got over it" where "got over it" means both overcoming a fear and physically getting over the hurdle.