Bat vs Bat

• Bat (a flying mammal) – Noun

• Bat (a stick used in sports) – Noun

Pronunciation

These words are homonyms, meaning they are spelled the same, sound the same, but have different meanings.

• Bat (Noun): Pronounced /bæt/ (BAT) — A flying mammal.

• Bat (Noun): Pronounced /bæt/ (BAT) — A piece of sports equipment.

Listen to the audio. They sound the same.

What makes them different is your intonation, expression, and context, or the other words in the sentence.

Instruction

Read each sentence aloud and practice identifying the meaning of "bat" in context.
Can you tell which “bat” is being mentioned as you read each sentence?

Example Sentences

1. A bat flew out of the cave.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

2. He hit the ball with the bat.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

3. The bat is a nocturnal animal.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

4. She grabbed the bat to play baseball.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

5. The bat hung upside down from the ceiling.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

6. The cricket player swung his bat at the ball.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

7. A colony of bats lived in the old barn.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

8. The baseball bat was cracked after the game.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

9. He was startled by a bat flying through the window.
   a. A flying mammal
   b. A stick used in sports

10. She held the bat tightly as she prepared to swing.
    a. A flying mammal
    b. A stick used in sports

Answers

1. a

2. b

3. a

4. b

5. a

6. b

7. a

8. b

9. a

10. b

Intonation

Instructions: Intonation is controlling the rise and fall of your voice. When we do this with words and phrases, we send the listener a specific message.

Bat (a flying mammal)

1. A colony of bats lived in the cave. (Stress bats to emphasize the animal.)

2. The bat flew silently through the night. (Emphasize silently to set the mood.)

3. I was startled by the sudden appearance of a bat. (Highlight bat to show the cause of surprise.)

Bat (a stick used in sports)

1. He swung the bat with all his strength. (Stress bat to focus on the equipment.)

2. She held the bat carefully before her turn. (Highlight held to show readiness.)

3. The bat was made of solid wood. (Emphasize solid wood to describe its material.)

Expression

The following explains how stressing or emphasizing the bolded words alters the tone or focus of the sentence and offers some helpful tips. Practice stressing these words when speaking. Create your own sentences with the following words and phrases.

Bat (a flying mammal):

1. Nocturnal bat: Describes the animal’s active period.

   • Tip: Stress nocturnal to focus on its behavior.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

2. Flying bat: Highlights its movement.

   • Tip: Emphasize flying to show action.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

3. Bat colony: Refers to a group of bats.

   • Tip: Highlight colony to show the group setting.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

Bat (a stick used in sports):

1. Baseball bat: Refers to its specific purpose.

   • Tip: Stress baseball to clarify the sport.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

2. Cracked bat: Suggests damage to the equipment.

   • Tip: Highlight cracked to focus on the condition.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

3. Swing the bat: Describes the action in a game.

   • Tip: Emphasize swing to highlight effort.

   • Sentence: ____________________.

Things to Remember:

The word "bat" is used in different contexts:

• Bat (a flying mammal): Works with descriptive words like "nocturnal," "flying," or "colony."

  • Example: A nocturnal bat flew out of the cave.

• Bat (a stick used in sports): Works with phrases like "baseball bat," "cracked bat," or "swing the bat."

  • Example: He swung the baseball bat with precision.