Let $F$ be a free semigroup (say, $2$-generated) which is embedded in a group $G$, and suppose that $G$ (as a group) is generated by $F$. The most simple such situation would be when $G$ is a free group, but there are lot of groups, besides free ones, which could occur in this situation (for example, $G$ could be solvable). Is it possible that $G$ contains a subgroup isomorphic to $\mathbb{Z} \times \mathbb{Z}$ (the direct product of two copies of the infinite cyclic group $\mathbb{Z}$)?

<b>Update</b>: thanks to all the people for a very interesting discussion. Sorry that I cannot award a few "accepted answers", so the only one goes to Greg who supplied the most lucid and explicit example.