Double Entendre: Making Use of Dual Meanings - TCK Publishing (2024)

Have you ever read something that made you stop and think, “Wait, did they mean what I think they meant?” Chances are you’ve encountered a double entendre—a word or phrase that could be understood two different ways.

One meaning is usually straightforward, while the other is more subtle and typically humorous. Writers often use this figure of speech to add depth, inject humor, or to surprise their audience.

The Double Entendre

The term double entendre originated from French, where it literally meant “double meaning.” However, it’s now almost exclusively used in English, as the original phrase has fallen out of common use in French.

It relies on ambiguity, which can be done in different ways. The most common is to employ hom*onyms or hom*ophones—words that sound the same but have different meanings. For example, in the sentence “He’s hot,” “hot” can mean attractive or feeling a high temperature.

A double entendre’s secondary meaning is usually risque or inappropriate in some way. When three or more meanings are made, it is called a triple entendre and so on.

Examples in Literature and Popular Culture

Here are a few examples of double entendres in literature, films, TV series, and more.

Modern Family

In this episode of Modern Family, the Dunphys are trying to persuade a perfect couple to move in next door. In this scene, Luke’s actions reinforce the secondary, more improper meaning of the word “hoe”.

SpongeBob SquarePants

While SpongeBob is made for kids, the creators have hidden a lot of more “adult” humor in the program. Some names, like “Sandy Cheeks” and “Bikini Bottom”, are double entendres.

Finding Nemo

When the fish plot to escape the dentist’s tank, they devise a plan to dirty up its water. Gill, the leader, instructs them to “be as gross as possible. Think dirty thoughts.”

Of course, he meant its literal meaning. But all the adults caught the double meaning here.

Romeo and Juliet

Mercutio: ” ‘Tis no less, I tell you; for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon.”

Nurse: “Out upon you! What a man are you!”

Mercutio’s description of the clock and use of particular words make it seem like he’s making a sexual joke, hence the nurse’s furious reply.

Shakespeare frequently uses double entendres in his work. Another example is in Hamlet, where the title character asks Ophelia about “country matters” which was slang for a woman’s genitals at the time.

Silence of The Lambs

Hannibal ends his call with Clarice by saying he’s “having an old friend for dinner.” Normally, one would think he’s entertaining a guest. But Hannibal is a cannibal and is implied to be hunting someone down for food.

Use of Double Entendres in Writing

You can use double entendres to add humor to your stories. It is perhaps why double entendres were made in the first place. See, inappropriate humor was frowned upon or even banned from being used in literature back in the day. Writers circumvented that by using dual meanings.

A well-placed double entendre can make your readers chuckle. It lightens the mood and allows you to introduce suggestive jokes without being blatantly offensive. For example, many children’s programs have hidden jokes meant for the parents watching them with their kids.

You can also use it to add depth to your work. A character who frequently uses this can be seen as crude, flirtatious, or tricky to deal with.

Dual meanings also create subtext. You hint at things and engage your readers to come up with a suitable meaning. Take advantage of this to reinforce themes or motifs in your story.

Considerations

There are a few things you need to consider when using this figure of speech. For one thing, a double entendre needs to be subtle but not so ambiguous that your readers miss the joke. If they don’t get it, then what’s the point of adding it in?

There is also the risk of offending or alienating your audience. Consider who your audience is and whether this brand of humor is acceptable to them.

Similar Terms

Here are some terms that are closely related to the double entendre. It’s worth noting that, while these figures of speech have differences, they have significant overlap. You can often find examples that belong to more than one of them.

Puns

A pun is similar to a double entendre in that they both deal with dual meanings. However, puns are more silly than inappropriate. For example, “I’m reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.”

Innuendo

An innuendo is similar to a double entendre because it also deals with something suggestive or scandalous. However, an innuendo doesn’t involve wordplay. Rather, its true meaning is implied through tone, cadence, and emphasis on certain words.

For example, “This movie is a little dull. Maybe we can find something more exciting to do,” has no inherently suggestive meaning. At least, not until someone says it in a sexually suggestive way.

Euphemism

A euphemism is a figure of speech used to replace a word or phrase deemed too blunt, harsh, or inappropriate. For example, the phrase “birds and the bees” is commonly used by parents as a substitute for “sexual intercourse.”

Have you used double entendres in your works? Share them below!

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