Types of Sports Balls with Photos

When people think about sports equipment, one of the first things that comes to mind is the wide variety of sports balls used in different games. From basketballs and baseballs to tennis balls and golf balls, each sport uses its own special ball or game piece.

In this guide, you will learn the names of common sports balls in English, along with simple facts and example sentences. To make the list more accurate and useful for learners, this article also includes a few related sports items such as a hockey puck and a badminton shuttlecock, which are not technically balls but are important pieces of sports equipment.

Table of Contents

List of Sports Balls and Related Sports Equipment

This list is a great starting point for building your English vocabulary about sports equipment.

American Football
Basketball
Tennis Ball
Baseball
Soccer Ball
Volleyball
Bowling Ball
Golf Ball
Beach Ball
Pool Ball
Hockey Puck
Playground Ball
Badminton Shuttlecock
Bossaball
Water Polo Ball
Lawn Bowls
Squash Ball
Paddleball
Wiffle Ball
Cricket Ball
Hurling Ball
Rugby Ball
Handball
Sepak Takraw Ball
Table Tennis Ball
Racquetball
Softball
Dodgeball
Bocce Ball
Lacrosse Ball
Futsal Ball
Pétanque Ball
Netball
Floorball
Pickleball

Sports Balls with Facts and Example Sentences

American Football

An American football is oval-shaped and usually made of leather or synthetic material. It is designed for throwing, catching, and kicking in American football games. Unlike a soccer ball, it does not have a round shape or 32 panels.

I enjoy watching American football games on Sunday afternoons.

Basketball

A basketball is a round ball made of leather or synthetic materials. It is usually orange and has a circumference of about 29.5 inches for the standard adult size.

My favorite sport to play with friends is basketball.

Tennis Ball

A tennis ball is a small rubber ball covered in felt. It is usually bright yellow and has a diameter of about 2.57 to 2.70 inches.

The player hit the fuzzy yellow tennis ball over the net.

Baseball

A baseball is a small white ball made with a cork-and-rubber core and covered in leather. It has a circumference of about 9 inches and is used in the sport of baseball.

Every spring, I look forward to watching a baseball game.

Soccer Ball

A soccer ball is round and commonly made of synthetic materials. Traditional designs often show black and white panels, and the standard adult size is size 5.

The kids kicked the soccer ball back and forth in the park.

Volleyball

A volleyball is a light ball designed for passing, setting, and hitting over a net. It is usually made of synthetic leather and has a circumference of about 65 to 67 centimeters.

Tim plays for the national volleyball team.

Bowling Ball

A bowling ball is a heavy ball used in bowling. It usually has three holes for the fingers and thumb and is made from dense, durable material.

This bowling ball is too heavy for me.

Golf Ball

A golf ball is a small white ball covered with dimples to help it travel farther through the air. Its diameter is at least 1.68 inches, and its maximum weight is 1.62 ounces.

The golfer hit the golf ball onto the green.

Beach Ball

A beach ball is a light, inflatable ball often used for fun at the beach or in the pool. It usually has colorful panels and is much lighter than sports balls used in official games.

The beach ball bounced up and hit him in the face.

Pool Ball

A pool ball is a small, hard ball used in billiards or pool. It is smooth, polished, and designed to roll easily across the table.

He carefully aimed the cue ball at the red pool ball.

Hockey Puck

A hockey puck is not a ball. It is a small, hard rubber disk used in ice hockey. It slides across the ice instead of bouncing like a ball.

The player hit the hockey puck straight into the net.

Badminton Shuttlecock

In badminton, players do not use a ball. They use a shuttlecock, which has a cork base and a feathered or plastic top.

Badminton is played with a shuttlecock, not a ball.

Water Polo Ball

A water polo ball is designed for use in the water. It has a textured surface to help players grip it with wet hands during the game.

I am not very familiar with water polo, but the ball is easy to grip in water.

Squash Ball

A squash ball is a small black rubber ball used in squash. It is designed to bounce more when it becomes warm during play.

I enjoy playing tennis and squash.

Wiffle Ball

A wiffle ball is a lightweight plastic ball with holes on one side. It is used in a simplified version of baseball and is popular for backyard games.

Wiffle ball is a fun backyard game for kids and adults.

Cricket Ball

A cricket ball is made of cork wrapped in string and covered with leather. It is usually red or white and is harder than a baseball.

Cricket is one of the most popular sports in many countries.

Hurling Ball

A hurling ball, also called a sliotar, is a small hard ball used in the Irish sport of hurling. Players strike it with a wooden stick called a hurley.

Hurling is a traditional Irish field sport.

Rugby Ball

A rugby ball is oval-shaped and designed for passing and kicking. It is similar in shape to an American football, but the two are used in different sports.

Kids from six years old play mini rugby at the club.

Handball

A handball is the ball used in the sport of handball. It is small enough to be held and thrown with one hand and is designed for quick passing and shooting.

The player threw the handball past the goalkeeper.

Sepak Takraw Ball

A Sepak Takraw ball is traditionally woven from rattan or made from synthetic material. It is used in a fast-paced sport popular in Southeast Asia.

Sepak takraw is a sport native to Southeast Asia.

Table Tennis Ball

A table tennis ball is a very light plastic ball used in table tennis, also called ping-pong. It usually has a diameter of 40 mm.

He smashed the table tennis ball across the table.

Softball

A softball is larger than a baseball and is used in the sport of softball. It is usually bright yellow and easier to see during play.

I enjoy playing softball with my friends on the weekends.

Dodgeball

A dodgeball is a soft ball used in dodgeball games. It is made to be easy to throw and safer for players when it hits them.

We had a blast playing dodgeball at the company picnic.

Bocce Ball

A bocce ball is a heavy ball used in the Italian game of bocce. Players try to roll it as close as possible to a smaller target ball.

My family loves playing bocce in the backyard during summer barbecues.

Lacrosse Ball

A lacrosse ball is a small solid rubber ball used in lacrosse. Players throw, catch, and carry it using a lacrosse stick.

She has been playing lacrosse since she was a kid.

Futsal Ball

A futsal ball is similar to a soccer ball but is usually smaller and has less bounce. It is designed for indoor play on a hard court.

We need to buy a futsal ball for our indoor soccer league.

Pétanque Ball

A pétanque ball is a hollow metal ball used in the French game of pétanque. It is heavy and designed for precise throwing.

The retirement community hosts a weekly pétanque tournament.

Netball

A netball is the ball used in netball. It looks similar to a basketball but is used in a sport with different rules and player positions.

I used to play netball in high school.

Floorball

A floorball ball is a lightweight plastic ball with holes. It is used in floorball, an indoor team sport similar to hockey.

The community center offers floorball leagues for all ages.

Pickleball

A pickleball is a perforated plastic ball used in the sport of pickleball. It is lighter than a tennis ball and is used with solid paddles.

I recently took up pickleball and have been having a great time learning the game.

Lawn Bowls

Lawn bowls, also called bowls, are slightly biased balls used in the game of lawn bowls. Players roll them across a bowling green toward a smaller target ball called the jack.