Sports Hangman uses words about games, equipment and moves as its secret words. The 100 words include team sports like soccer and rugby, solo sports like archery and fencing, and gear and ideas like helmet, trophy and referee. It is a great way to mix spelling with PE or game-day fun.
The complete sports list
Some words name a sport, others name something you see at a game. Words ending in -ing, like skating and rowing, show up a lot.
| Word | Letters | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| archery | 7 | Shooting arrows at a target with a bow. |
| baseball | 8 | A bat-and-ball game with four bases. |
| bowling | 7 | Rolling a heavy ball to knock down pins. |
| canoe | 5 | A narrow boat you move with a paddle. |
| cricket | 7 | A bat-and-ball game popular in England and India. |
| cycling | 7 | Riding a bike for fun or in races. |
| diving | 6 | Jumping into water head first, often with flips. |
| fencing | 7 | A sword sport with thin, safe blades. |
| football | 8 | A team game played with a ball and goals. |
| golf | 4 | Hitting a small ball into holes with clubs. |
| gymnast | 7 | An athlete who flips, swings and balances. |
| hockey | 6 | A game played with sticks on ice or grass. |
| javelin | 7 | A long spear thrown as far as possible. |
| judo | 4 | A martial art where you throw or pin a partner. |
| karate | 6 | A martial art using kicks, punches and blocks. |
| lacrosse | 8 | A game using sticks with small nets. |
| marathon | 8 | A running race of about 26 miles. |
| netball | 7 | A team game like basketball without dribbling. |
| referee | 7 | The person who makes sure players follow the rules. |
| rowing | 6 | Moving a boat with oars. |
| rugby | 5 | A team game where players carry an oval ball. |
| skating | 7 | Gliding on ice skates or roller skates. |
| skiing | 6 | Sliding down snowy hills on long boards. |
| soccer | 6 | A team game where you kick a ball into a goal. |
| softball | 8 | A game like baseball with a bigger ball. |
| surfing | 7 | Riding ocean waves on a board. |
| swimming | 8 | Moving through water using arms and legs. |
| tennis | 6 | Hitting a ball over a net with a racket. |
| trophy | 6 | A cup or prize given to a winner. |
| volleyball | 10 | Hitting a ball over a high net with your hands. |
| wrestling | 9 | A sport where two people try to pin each other. |
| yoga | 4 | Stretching and breathing exercises. |
| badminton | 9 | A racket game played with a feathered shuttle. |
| dribble | 7 | To bounce or kick a ball while moving. |
| helmet | 6 | A hard hat that protects your head. |
| huddle | 6 | When a team gathers close to plan. |
| medal | 5 | A metal disc given for winning a place. |
| stadium | 7 | A big place with seats where games are played. |
| sprint | 6 | To run very fast for a short distance. |
| kayak | 5 | A small, covered boat paddled with a double blade. |
| athlete | 7 | A person who plays sports. |
| basketball | 10 | A game of shooting a ball in a hoop. |
| boxing | 6 | A sport with padded gloves. |
| catcher | 7 | The player behind home plate. |
| champion | 8 | The winner of a contest. |
| coach | 5 | A person who trains a team. |
| dodgeball | 9 | A game of throwing and dodging balls. |
| goalie | 6 | The player who guards the goal. |
| hurdle | 6 | A bar runners jump over. |
| inning | 6 | A part of a baseball game. |
| jersey | 6 | A team shirt with a number. |
| league | 6 | A group of teams that play each other. |
| mascot | 6 | A team's lucky character. |
| olympics | 8 | World games held every four years. |
| paddle | 6 | A tool for rowing a boat. |
| pitcher | 7 | The player who throws to the batter. |
| playoff | 7 | A game to decide the champion. |
| racket | 6 | A bat with strings for tennis. |
| relay | 5 | A race passed from runner to runner. |
| scoreboard | 10 | A board that shows the points. |
| skateboard | 10 | A board with wheels you ride. |
| sled | 4 | A ride that slides on snow. |
| snowboard | 9 | A board for sliding down snow. |
| stretch | 7 | To loosen your muscles. |
| teammate | 8 | A player on your side. |
| timeout | 7 | A short break in a game. |
| touchdown | 9 | A big score in football. |
| umpire | 6 | The judge in baseball. |
| whistle | 7 | A tool referees blow. |
| bicycle | 7 | A two-wheeled ride. |
| dugout | 6 | Where baseball players sit. |
| field | 5 | An open area for games. |
| goal | 4 | A place to score. |
| gymnastics | 10 | A sport of flips and balance. |
| halftime | 8 | The break in the middle of a game. |
| jogging | 7 | Running at an easy pace. |
| kickball | 8 | Baseball played by kicking. |
| lap | 3 | One trip around a track. |
| outfield | 8 | The far part of a baseball field. |
| polo | 4 | A game played on horseback. |
| quarterback | 11 | The football player who throws passes. |
| rink | 4 | A smooth floor for skating. |
| sailing | 7 | Moving a boat with wind. |
| serve | 5 | The hit that starts a point. |
| shortstop | 9 | A baseball player between bases. |
| sneakers | 8 | Soft shoes for sports. |
| squash | 6 | A racket game played indoors. |
| surfer | 6 | A person who rides waves. |
| tackle | 6 | To stop a player with the ball. |
| triathlon | 9 | A race with swim, bike and run. |
| uniform | 7 | Matching clothes for a team. |
| victory | 7 | A win. |
| warmup | 6 | Gentle exercise before a game. |
| weightlifting | 13 | Lifting heavy weights. |
| pickleball | 10 | A paddle game like small tennis. |
| climbing | 8 | Going up rocks or walls. |
| frisbee | 7 | A flying disc you throw. |
| hiking | 6 | Walking on long trails. |
| karting | 7 | Racing small go-karts. |
| rally | 5 | A long back-and-forth of hits. |
Spot the -ing and -ball pattern
Ten words in this list end in -ing, and five end in -ball. When a long word has three blanks at the end, guess N and G and you may fill three spots in two turns. If you see a double L at the end, think baseball, football, softball, netball or volleyball.
Play the sports round
- Step 1
Think field, court or water
Every answer is a sport, a piece of gear or an action.
- Step 2
Test -ing and -ball
Guess N, G and L when the word is long.
- Step 3
Check the meaning
Learn what a lacrosse stick or a javelin is.
Times for a sports round
- PE class on a rainy day
- Before a big game
- Olympics week in class
- Team bus rides
- Sports camp evenings
- Fans waiting for kickoff
Frequently asked questions
What are good sports words for Hangman?
Soccer, tennis, hockey, trophy and stadium are well known and fair. For something harder, try lacrosse, javelin or badminton. They have less common letter mixes.
Which sports in the list come from the Olympics?
Most of them. Archery, fencing, judo, karate, rowing, surfing, cycling and diving have all been part of recent Summer Olympics. Skiing and skating are Winter Olympic sports.
What does referee mean?
A referee is the person who makes sure players follow the rules during a game. It is spelled with three E's, which is why it is great for Hangman.
Is there a hard sports word?
Lacrosse and badminton are the trickiest in this list. Lacrosse comes from French and has a double S. Judo is short with a J, which also makes it hard.
What is the best first guess for sports words?
Try E or I first, then N and G for the many -ing words. O is also good because of words like soccer, hockey and football.
How can a coach use sports Hangman?
Use it as a team warm-up on a phone or tablet, or play it on the bus. A custom game with your sport's own terms, like positions and plays, is even better.
Why is soccer called football in some countries?
In most of the world, football means the game played with the feet and a round ball. In the US and Canada, the word soccer is used to avoid confusion with American football. Both words are in this list.
Which sport in the list uses a shuttle instead of a ball?
Badminton does. Players use rackets to hit a light shuttle, often called a birdie, over a high net. The shuttle slows down fast in the air, which makes long rallies possible.
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