def repeat(chars, num=1):
return [chars[:index] + char * num + chars[index:] for index,char in enumerate(chars) if char != ' ']
repeat('monkeys', 1)
# ['mmonkeys', 'moonkeys', 'monnkeys', 'monkkeys', 'monkeeys', 'monkeyys', 'monkeyss']
repeat('monkeys', 2)
# ['mmmonkeys', 'mooonkeys', 'monnnkeys', 'monkkkeys', 'monkeeeys', 'monkeyyys', 'monkeysss']
repeat('hi how are you', 1)
# ['hhi how are you', 'hii how are you', 'hi hhow are you', 'hi hoow are you', 'hi howw are you', 'hi how aare you', 'hi how arre you', 'hi how aree you', 'hi how are yyou', 'hi how are yoou', 'hi how are youu']