Can You Figure Out What Kind of a Ball This Is from a Zoomed-In Photo?

By: Olivia C
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Figure Out What Kind of a Ball This Is from a Zoomed-In Photo?
Image: traffic_analyzer/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Did you know there were so many kinds of ball games out there in the world? You'll be surprised!

Different cultures have their own ball games, whether they are played for fun, in the schoolyards, or professionally, like in competitions and such. Sometimes, there are region-specific kinds of ball games, and there are also country-specific types. Sometimes, there is one kind of ball game which different countries interpret on their own. And there are even mash-up ball games wherein one kind of existing game would be experimentally joined into another, producing a third kind of game -- and a totally new one at that. It's really very diverse, you see.

And this is where you will see the creativity of human beings. For us to invent such ball games is enough proof that our brains are not only hardwired to communicate or survive, but we're also hardwired to have fun. Of course, which human being would not want to have fun once in a while, right? And for many, having fun means engaging in a game or sport where a ball of some sort is involved.

So, are you ready to see which kinds of balls these are? Take this really fun quiz and zoom out a winner!


Baseball1
Bill Hinton/Moment/Getty Images
Every American knows this! What is it?
Basketball
Billiard balls
Baseball
Bowling ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is, unmistakably, a baseball. Those stitches don't lie!

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Basketball1
Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Hoop, there it is! What is it?
Golf ball
Soccer ball
Billiard balls
Basketball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is a basketball. That texture is easy to spot anywhere!

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Billiard balls1
aiqingwang/Moment/Getty Images
What are these colorful ones?
Bowling ball
Golf ball
Billiard balls
Soccer ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These colorful numbered balls are for billiards. Hey, don't get hit by one!

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Bowling ball1
LongHa2006/E+/Getty Images
What’s this huge and heavy one?
Golf ball
Soccer ball
Football
Bowling ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A bowling ball has holes for finger grips. Careful with that grip, though!

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Golf ball1
Adrienne Bresnahan/Moment/Getty Images
Go by the dimples with this. What is it?
Cricket ball
Golf ball
Tennis ball
Volleyball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Don't underestimate the small size of golf balls. They hurt like hell when one hits ya!

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Soccer ball1
Atomic Imagery/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Kick it to goal! What is it?
Football
Cricket ball
Tennis ball
Soccer ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is a soccer ball. World Cup fans know this!

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Football1
Robert D. Barnes/Moment/Getty Images
Win one for the gipper! What is it?
Volleyball
Lacrosse ball
Football
Cue ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This oval-shaped ball is for American football. You throw it!

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Cricket ball1
AnthiaCumming/E+/Getty Images
Hit this one out! What is it?
Tennis ball
Volleyball
Lacrosse ball
Cricket ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Thank the ancient British Empire for spreading the love of cricket games in certain parts of the world. Yep, this is a cricket ball.

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Tennis ball1
Iván Ramírez/Moment/Getty Images
What’s this furry-feeling one?
Cue ball
Pingpong ball
Tennis ball
Volleyball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tennis ball is unmistakably furry. Hm, maybe it's because it's played in a lawn?

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Volleyball1
Matt_Brown/E+/Getty Images
Hit it across a net! What is it?
Lacrosse ball
Cue ball
Volleyball
Pingpong ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is a volleyball. You gotta have great wrists and forearms to hit this one over the net!

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Lacrosse ball1
Douglas Sacha/Moment/Getty Images
Can you guess which ball is this?
Dodgeball
Polo ball
Lacrosse ball
Marbles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lacrosse is played with athletes carrying sticks that have nets on the end. That's where they catch this ball.

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Cue ball1
Michelle McCarron/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Start the game with this. What is it?
Punching ball
Racquetball
Cue ball
Roller hockey ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is a cue ball to break the triangular formation of the billiard balls. You use this to hit the other balls to enter the pockets.

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Pingpong ball1
georgeclerk/E+/Getty Images
This one is called what?
Shotput
Pingpong ball
Handball
Duckpin ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pingpong is also called table tennis. This light and airy balls are tricky to hit with a paddle!

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Dodgeball1
drabbat/E+/Getty Images
And what’s this one for?
Dodgeball
Softball
Croquet ball
Squash ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dodgeball is a skillful game. Try to avoid being hit by one of these balls on the court.

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Polo ball1
nihatdursun/E+/Getty Images
Do you know in which game they use this one?
Bandy ball
Exercise ball
Polo ball
Water volleyball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is the ball used for a polo game. Players ride a horse and hit this ball toward the goal of the other team.

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Rugby ball1
RunPhoto/Digital Vision/Getty Images
Can you name this ball?
Kickball
Marbles
Pelota
Rugby ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This football-looking ball is for rugby. There's also a Rugby World Cup.

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Punching ball1
Stockbyte/Stockbyte/Getty Images
What’s this one, used mostly for exercise?
Punching ball
Tetherball
Eight ball
Spam ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A punching ball is a boxing training ball usually suspended in the middle, with two straps that attach it on both ends to a standing stick. There's a desktop version of this now, where a suction cup sticks it onto a desk, and you can punch away to your heart's desire -- not necessarily boxing-oriented.

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Racquetball1
Bill Oxford/E+/Getty Images
How about this ball?
Rubber band ball
Roller hockey ball
Racquetball
Shotput
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This rubber ball is for a racquetball game. It's actually hollow inside.

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Roller hockey ball1
AnthonyRosenberg/E+/Getty Images
This mash-up of a game uses what ball?
Roller hockey ball
Handball
Duckpin ball
Softball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Roller hockey is played just like hockey, but with a ball and on roller skates. These balls also come in neon colors!

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Shotput1
Douglas Sacha/Moment/Getty Images
What is this Olympic-related ball?
Croquet ball
Squash ball
Shot put
Bandy ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A shot put is an interesting Olympic event. Players throw one of these super-heavy balls as far as they can to win.

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Handball1
Jan-Otto/E+/Getty Images
What is this simple one called?
Handball
Exercise ball
Water polo ball
Kickball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Handball games are played by teams. The goal is to pass around the ball and throw it inside the other team's goal.

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Duckpin ball1
kickstand/E+/Getty Images
What’s this familiar-looking ball?
Marbles
Pelota
Duckpin ball
Tetherball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Unlike bowling balls, duckpin balls don't have holes. But you can hold one easily and throw it to hit those pins anyway.

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Softball1
(c) Jessica Gwozdz/Moment/Getty Images
Can you name this familiar one?
Softball
Eight ball
Speedball
Rubber band ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A softball is actually larger than a baseball. So you really hit it hard, too!

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Croquet ball1
princessdlaf/E+/Getty Images
You know this! What is it?
Cat’s Eye marble
Paintball
Croquet ball
Koosh ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is a croquet ball, which is supposed to be hit by a heavy mallet through some hoops. It's a bit like golf, only bulkier and not much walking on the greens...

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Squash ball1
JurgaR/E+/Getty Images
What about this round thing?
Kettlebell
Sepak takraw ball
Jai alai ball
Squash ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Squash balls have varying bounce capacities. You can tell that by the number of dots painted on the ball.

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Bandy ball1
Santeri Viinamäki via Wiki Commons
What do you call this round plaything?
Pokemon ball
Discus
Snooker ball
Bandy ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bandy balls are made of cork on the inside, used for playing bandy. It's basically a winter sport that's like a variation of hockey.

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Exercise ball1
chrisboy2004/E+/Getty Images
Gym lovers, can you identify this one?
Hockey Puck
Exercise ball
Shuttlecock
Ball point pen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This is usually called just exercise ball. But in certain gyms, they call it the yoga ball or the pilates ball.

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Water polo ball1
Matt_Brown/E+/Getty Images
Water sports lovers, can you identify this one?
Rickety ball
Kickball
Water polo ball
Marbles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Water polo balls are equipped to be played on water surfaces. It's a fun and wet game!

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Kickball1
Capsule/E+/Getty Images
What’s this favorite playtime ball?
Kickball
Pelota
Tetherball
Eight ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kickball is also called soccer baseball. It combines the rules and elements of both of these games, that's why.

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Marbles1
tomophotography/Moment/Getty Images
How about this bunch of small ones?
Speedball
Rubber band ball
Marbles
Rubber band ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A bunch of marbles is great to play with! No childhood is complete without playing with these things.

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Tetherball1
Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
How about this playground fave?
Cat’s Eye marble
Paintball
Tetherball
Koosh ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tetherball is a simple game wherein a volleyball is tied to a rope, which is then tied to a post. It dangles from there.

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Eight ball1
wolv/E+/Getty Images
What do you call this center of competition?
Kettlebell
Eight ball
Sepak takraw ball
Jai alai ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In a specific game of billiards, the black eight ball is usually the last one to be hit and pocketed. If you do that accidentally, game over!

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Speedball1
dlewis33/E+/Getty Images
This suspended round ball is called what?
Speedball
Pokemon ball
Discus
Snooker ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A speedball or a speed bag is used by boxers to help them condition themselves. It also helps with timing punches.

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Rubber band ball1
Matthew Dickstein/Moment/Getty Images
Office workers, what’s this one?
Hockey Puck
Shuttlecock
Rubber band ball
Ball point pen
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rubber band ball-making is a thing. Deal with it.

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Paintball1
Joy Sale/Moment/Getty Images
Shooters, what are these called?
Rickety ball
Pellets
Paintball
Rickshaw
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These colorful paintballs are actually used as ammunition for paintball games. You load it onto an air gun and shoot your opponent with it.

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Koosh ball1
Evan-Amos via Wiki Commons
Can you name this cute ball?
Twitterball
Koosh ball
Ham ball
Lever ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A Koosh ball is actually a toy for smaller kids. Those rubbery hair-like things are helpful for motor skills development.

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Kettlebell1
Jenner Images/Moment/Getty Images
How about this non-bouncing heavy thingie?
Plank ball
Shape ball
Kettlebell
Curve ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A kettlebell is usually used for weight training exercises. It has been in existence since the early 1900s, with earlier prototypes found during the late 1800s.

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Sepak takraw ball1
somnuk krobkum/Moment/Getty Images
Asian game lovers, what’s this one called?
Foul ball
Jungaroo
Sepak takraw ball
Jambalaya ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A sepak takraw ball is usually made of net. It is played like volleyball, with players kicking the ball instead of using their arms.

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Jai alai ball1
Photographer of Barcelona. More at www.jordiroy.com/Moment/Getty Images
How about this competition ball?
Furrow ball
Camp ball
Escape ball
Jai alai ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jai alai ball is caught and thrown using a handheld device that looks like a concave claw. Two players face a wall and bounce it off there.

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Pokemon ball1
Aaron Lai via Wiki Commons
Digital people, what do you call this one?
Avatar
Pokemon ball
Emoji
Logo ball
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Technically, this is called a Pokemon Go Poke Ball. Digital natives know this one!

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You Got:
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