Special Sub-Topic: Double Meanings: Heteronymic Headlines Click Here To Play: Double Meanings: Heteronymic Headlines

Heteronyms are words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations as well as different meanings - as in the sentence, "That dove dove into me!" I will give you an excerpt from the beginning of a news story followed by a headline with two blanks for missing words. Find the single word that, if placed in both blanks, makes an appropriate headline. Both meanings of the word will appear within the story in ALL CAPS. News Story Excerpt: The quest to more economically manufacture A SUBSTANCE THAT MAKES SURFACES SMOOTH AND SHINY has resulted in several deaths. Investigators have determined that ingredients imported FROM POLAND contained high levels of arsenic. Headline: ______ ______ Costs Lives What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline? Remember, just type the word once.

Polish. Full Headline: "Polish Polish Costs Lives" An explanation of heteronyms and a list of examples can be found at "The Heteronym Home Page" (www-personal.umich.edu/~cellis/heteronym.html). A heteronym is more than a mere homograph, that is two words with the same spelling. Heteronyms differ in both both pronunciation and meaning and often have entirely different etymologies as in the case of "Polish" and "polish".

News Story Excerpt: Disgruntled garbage men have placed the City Council on notice that they will DECLINE to pick up excessively heavy or overflowing TRASH containers. HEADLINE: Sanitary Workers ______ ______ What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Refuse. Full Headline: Sanitary Workers Refuse Refuse Although both the noun "refuse" and the verb "refuse" come from French words indicating refusal or rejection, the noun "REFyoos" has come to mean garbage while the verb "ri-FYOOZ" indicates unwillingness to accept.

News Story Excerpt: Zoologists blame global warming for producing higher ground temperatures in the SANDY WASTELAND of the Sahara, forcing even the most highly adapted reptiles to ABANDON their native ecosystem. Headline: Lizards ______ ______. What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Desert. Full Headline: Lizards Desert Desert The noun and verb "desert" are both formed from the Indo-European root "ser" meaning "to line up" prefixed with the negating prefix "de". Literally speaking a "desert" doesn't line up.

News Story Excerpt: When organizers of the Intercollegiate Crew Championship refused to allow the crew of the Magnificent Institute of Technology to PROPEL THEIR BOATS using newly designed high-tech oars, a BRAWL broke out among the spectators, forcing cancellation of the event. Headline: ___ ___ Sinks Crew Competition What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Row. Full Headline: Row Row Sinks Crew Competition "Row" in the sense of brawl has an unknown derivation. "Row" in the sense of an oar evolved in straightfoward fashion from an Indo-European root with the same meaning.

OK, let's see if you really have the hang of this. New Story Excerpt: In a bizarre twist, a distraught man who felt repeatedly humiliated in front of his friends and family for spilling RICE WINE committed ritual suicide today. His wife expressed regrets that, "my husband is dead BECAUSE OF such a trivial matter. Headline: Hari-Kari Committed For the ____ of ____ What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Sake. Full Headline: Hari-Kari Committed For the Sake of Sake From an Old English word designating "guilt" in a lawsuit comes the English word "sake". Japanese "sake" (for which "saki" is the secondary spelling) is a fermented rice wine.

News Story Excerpt: A spokesperson for Easy Living Furniture Inc. defended the decision to sue one of its own employees. "LATHE WORKER Buddy Bristle was in the habit of shaving at work as he worked at his lathe," explained the company spokesperson. A gob of SHAVING CREAM struck a foreman walking the factory floor, knocking him into a vat of varnish. Headline: Company Defends ______ ______ Lawsuit What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Lather. Full Headline: Company Defends Lather Lather Lawsuit For fun, try reciting the above headline rapidly five times.

News Story Excerpt: Scientists at Murky Medical Labs have confirmed Jacque de Pilatory's claims that his special PASTE MADE FROM GOOSE LIVERS will re-grow hair if spread over the TOP OF THE HEAD of bald men. Headline: ____ ____ Proven To Grow Hair What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Pate. Full Headline: Pate Pate Proven To Grow Hair The French derived "pâté" can be any sort of meat paste, but most generally refers to pâté de foie gras, whose main ingredient is goose liver. The Middle English derived "pate" can refer not only to the skull but also to the brain or the mind.

News Story Excerpt: News Story Excerpt: "The International Inquirer" reports that officials have been trying to hush up the arrest of a purported extraterrestrial who was allegedly apprehended in AN UNDERGROUND PIPE USED TO DRAIN OFF SEWAGE where he operated a business as A CLOTHING STITCHER. Inquirer Gets Dirt On Alien _____ _____ What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Sewer. Full Headline: Inquirer Gets Dirt On Alien Sewer Sewer The underground "sewer" appropriately comes from a "Vulgar Latin" word. In addition to "sewer" of clothing, there is a third "sewer" pronounced "SOOER" that designates a medieval servant.

News Story Excerpt: Industry insiders claim that Budweiser's frog is about to face competition from A POPULAR SPORTS FISH who will sing in A LOW PITCHED VOICE in commercials for a rival beer. ____ ____ To Challenge "Bud" Frog What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Bass. Full Headline: Bass Bass To Challenge "Bud" Frog "Bass", as in fish, derives from the Old English "baer", a word whose similarity to "beer" should make this question a bit more plausible.

News Story Excerpt: Studies conducted in a secret National Institutes of Mental Health laboratory have shown that subjects taking quizzes written by FunTrivia author Uglybird can be identified by the EMOTIONAL STATE REFLECTED IN THEIR FACIAL EXPRESSIONS AND BODY POSTURES. An Uglybird quiz INFLUENCES emotion in a distinctive fashion making players easily distinguishable from control subjects, even without listening for the most specific manifestation of Uglybird quiz playing: audible groaning. HEADLINE: Quiz Writer _______ _______ What single word with the two meanings indicated in bold letters in the news story could be inserted into each of the blanks to make an appropriate headline?

Affects. Full Headline: Quiz Writer Affects Affects The Indo-European root "dhe" from which both "affects" derive is the root for a diverse collection of words that include "deed", "tick" and "bard". Its basic meaning is "to put". A special thanks to members of The Quiz Maker's Guild who assisted in the crafting of this quiz.