Can You Fill in the Missing Word for These Common Sports Terms?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
2 min
Can You Fill in the Missing Word for These Common Sports Terms?
Image: shutterstock

About This Quiz

Are you a competition junkie? If so, there is no better way to release that competitive fire than to take a quiz on sports!

Sports has always been a way to unite people from different backgrounds and cultures. These sports bring families, friends, and even rivals together as the fans all gather with snacks and team memorabilia to watch their favorite teams play against each other on game day. During this time, everyone yells at the referees and each other, explaining the rules as if they know them better than the people playing. If this sounds like you and your friends, here's a quiz that you should take.

This quiz provides you with a chance to compete against your friends by seeing how much you each know about the sports you love, especially those common sports terms that everyone should know. Maybe someone knows more about baseball, while another friend knows more about boxing, and both claim to know everything about football. Then, there's you, the one who possesses knowledge covering all sports. Surely, there are no sports terms you don't know, be it football, basketball, or any other competitive game.

If you're truly a competitor, take this quiz and see if you can knock it out of the park!

Fill in the missing word: "Down for the ___"
Job
People
Count
In boxing, a competitor gets ten seconds to get up from the mat after being knocked down. If they fail to do so, they are counted out, and the match is over.
Money
Fill in the missing word: "Slam ___"
Dunk
Many professional basketball players are great at dunking the ball in the hoop. This is when they jump, reach the ball above the rim, then place it inside the rim.
Ball
Hands
Fists
Fill in the missing word: "___ the goalposts"
Drop
Destroy​
Tilt
Move
Goalposts are used in American football for extra points and field goals. Therefore, if you move the goalposts, you're putting someone at a disadvantage.

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Fill in the missing word: "Down to the ___"
Field
Wire
When something is coming down to the wire, it is nearing the end. This phrase started in horse racing because a wire was stretched across the finish line to help determine the winner.
Ring
Second
Fill in the missing word: "___ by the bell"
Stopped
Ended
Saved
When a boxer is saved by the bell, he is taking a beating when the bell rings. He then gets to return to his corner and take a break before the next round.
Started
Fill in the missing word: "Go ___"
Deep
Randy Moss was one of the greatest deep threats in NFL history at wide receiver​. He definitely heard "go deep" a time or two.
High
Up
Down

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Fill in the missing word: "Throw in the ___"
Crowd
Fans
Shoes
Towel
Most competitors refuse to throw in the towel because they don't want to lose. In boxing, trainers will sometimes throw in the towel for their fighters to save them the humiliation.
Fill in the missing word: "Out of the ___"
Game
Realm
Park
In baseball, players hit the ball out of the park. The phrase has since been adopted to mean that you did something very well.
Series
Fill in the missing word: "Play ___"
Hard
Ball
This phrase is often said at the beginning of a baseball game. Many people associate it with playing fairly.
Fair
Right

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Fill in the missing word: "___ a dive"
Enjoy
Start
Take
Boxing has a history of fighters throwing fights to get money. When a boxer does this, he is taking a dive.
Form
Fill in the missing word: "Get the ball ___"
Up
Down
High
Rolling
This term refers to starting a game. In basketball, a game is started by a tipoff, where the referee tosses the ball in the air and a player from each team tries to tip it to their own players.
Fill in the missing word: "Spread ___"
Offense
In football, the spread offense places players from sideline to sideline to spread the defense out. This is a very common system at the college level where they try to get athletes into the open field.
Guards
Capital
Out

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Fill in the missing word: "Pull-up ___"
Wing
High
Jumper
Kobe Bryant had one of the greatest pull-up​ jump shots in NBA history. No matter how his body was positioned, he always managed to get a decent shot off.
Time
Fill in the missing word: "Line of ___"
Scrimmage
In football, the ball is placed on the line of scrimmage. The center then must snap the ball to the quarterback for the play to start.
Play
Division
Sight
Fill in the missing word: "___ jaw"
Heavy
Light
Double
Glass
A boxer with a glass jaw can't take a punch. Some boxers, like Mike Tyson, made everyone seem like they had a glass jaw.

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Fill in the missing word: "Foul ___"
Mouth
Ball
A foul ball is one that does not land in the field of play. In baseball, a foul ball counts as a strike until the final one. On the final strike, a batter can hit as many foul balls as necessary.
Hit
Start
Fill in the missing word: "___ the belt."
On
Inside
Over
Below
In boxing, you can't hit an opponent below the waistline. Some boxers ignore this and become known as dirty fighters.
Fill in the missing word: "Dual-threat ___"
Quarterback
Michael Vick was one of the most electric dual-threat quarterbacks of all time. However, injuries and legal troubles hampered most of his career.
Runner
Defender
Play

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Fill in the missing word: "Free ___"
Pass
Throw
A free throw happens after a foul in basketball. Some players are intentionally fouled because they are known to miss free throws.
Pass
Punch
Fill in the missing word: "End ___"
Field
Goal
Zone
No player has run the ball into the end zone more than Emmitt Smith. During his career, he had 164 rushing touchdowns.
Wear
Fill in the missing word: "___ stretch"
Long
Last
Wide
Home
This is a phrase that originated from horse racing. It references the final stretch of a race or game.

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Fill in the missing word: "On the ___"
Lap
Ropes
Someone who is on the ropes is about to lose. This comes from boxing when a boxer is pinned against the ropes and can't defend anymore.
Tide
Wind
Fill in the missing word: "___ beater"
Long
Heavy
Buzzer
In basketball, a player who can consistently hit shots when the shot clock is running down is known as a clutch player. In the NBA, Kyrie Irving has quickly established himself as one of the most clutch players in the league.
Bet
Fill in the missing word: "Most Valuable ___"
Player
In the NBA, Kareem Abdul Jabbar has won more MVP awards than any other player, including the great Michael Jordan. Jabbar has six awards, and Jordan has five.
Coach
Team
President

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Fill in the missing word: "Hail ___"
Pass
Goal
Mary
The longest Hail Mary in NFL history came from Aaron Rodgers in 2015. He threw it 61 yards against the Lions for the winning touchdown.
Sting
Fill in the missing word: "Heavy ___"
Star
Salary
Player
Hitter
Heavy hitters can knock opponents out with a single punch. Over the past decade, GGG has established himself as a heavy hitter, putting fear into those who face him.
Fill in the missing word: "Sideline to ___"
Goal
Sideline
In football, the best defenders can run sideline to sideline and make tackles. This is particularly important at the linebacker spot.
In-field
Center

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Fill in the missing word: "Sucker ___"
Punch
James Butler Jr., a former boxer, once punched out Richard Grant after Butler lost a fight against Grant. Butler wasn't wearing gloves when he delivered the punch.
Ring
Tickets
Shot
Fill in the missing word: "Bank ___"
Down
Town
Money
Shot
A bank shot requires a player to shoot the ball off the backboard and into the hoop. A shot that doesn't use the backboard or the rim is known as "nothing but net."
Fill in the missing word: "___ clock"
Error
Play
The best offensive players use the play clock to their advantage. Tom Brady, of the New England Patriots, will speed up or slow down the offense depending on how much play clock he wants to use.
Side
Score

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Fill in the missing word: "Box ___"
Play
Hight
Out
The best rebounders in NBA history understood how to box players out. Wilt Chamberlain was great at this, gaining 23,924 rebounds during his career.
Weight
Fill in the missing word: "___ the distance"
Go
This is a term that originated in boxing. It refers to a match that goes all 12 rounds.
Look
Pass
Weigh
Fill in the missing word: "Post __"
Wide
Up
Post up players have to refine their skills year after year. Tim Duncan, one of the greatest post up players in NBA history, won four titles with the San Antonio Spurs.
Foul
Hitter

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Fill in the missing word: "Pocket ___"
Runner
Blocker
Defender
Passer
Pocket passers aren't known for making plays with their legs. However, some of the best sure can throw the ball.
Filling in the missing word: "___ break"
Fast
Fast breaks often lead to easy points in basketball because the opposing team has fewer defenders than usual. Dwyane Wade and LeBron James were two of the best fast break players during their time with the Miami Heat.
Low
Over
Tidal
You Got:
/35
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