Monocyclic monomers bearing exo‐methylene groups are likely to undergo ring‐opening polymerization under the conditions of radical or cationic initiation. Several structural features will determine the course of reaction after initiation by species that exclusively attack the exo‐methylene functionality. Reviewing some of the most common classes of monocyclic heterocycles it becomes obvious that a monomer has to meet certain structural preconditions that makes them suitable for isomerizations. Among the considered heterocycles there are some types of monomers possessing an outstanding ring‐opening behavior following polymerization mechanisms free from side‐reactions. The combination of strain release due to ring‐opening isomerization, an energy decrease in the transition state caused by the formation of carbonyl‐functionalities and an appropriate stabilization of the growing chain end by steric and electronic effects may lead to clear ring‐opening mechanisms. However, this property remains restricted to only some special monomers with simple aromatic substituents being attached to the cycle. Hence a variety of cyclic ketene acetals, enolethers, (meth)acrylates, carbonates, lactones and lactames have been chosen in order to demonstrate both the possibilities and limits of ring‐opening.