What the word board game

If you are looking for a board game about guessing words, there are quite a few great options, but with the popularity of a few key games (I’m looking at you Codenames and Just One), there are lots of great games that end up getting overlooked.

That’s a shame because word games are a great way to get your brain working and improve your lateral thinking skills because they force you to think differently than other board games.

If you are playing with kids, they are also great to help get them interested in learning new words and reading, as well as improving their spelling, vocabulary, and grammar skills.

Here is our list of the best board games about guessing words for you to check out.

Table of Contents

1

Best Board Games About Guessing Words – Quick Comparison

Preview

Best Lateral Thinking

Czech Games Codenames (English), Multicolor

Most Fun

Just One Party Game (White Box) | Cooperative Board Game for Adults and Kids | Fun Games for Family Game Night | Ages 8 and up | 3-7 Players | Average Playtime 20 Minutes | Made by Repos Production

Most Approachable

Scorpion Masqué Decrypto | Deduction Party Game for Teens and Adults | Ages 12+ | 3 to 8 Players | 15 Minutes

Best Lateral Thinking

Preview

Czech Games Codenames (English), Multicolor

Most Fun

Preview

Just One Party Game (White Box) | Cooperative Board Game for Adults and Kids | Fun Games for Family Game Night | Ages 8 and up | 3-7 Players | Average Playtime 20 Minutes | Made by Repos Production

Most Approachable

Preview

Scorpion Masqué Decrypto | Deduction Party Game for Teens and Adults | Ages 12+ | 3 to 8 Players | 15 Minutes

1. Best Lateral Thinking: Codenames

Codenames is a game for 2 – 8 players that takes about 15 minutes and is very easy, taking only a couple of minutes to teach.

In Codenames, you are split into two teams. Each team has a spymaster, who gives the clues about the words to guess, and a team of field operatives, who need to guess the clues. There is a 5-by-5 grid of 25 spies (represented by words) on the table, and the spymaster is given a grid to say which people are spies and which people are assassins. They have to give one-word clues to their team to guess the spies without guessing any assassins, and they have to do it faster than the other team.

There are so many good moments packed into a game of Codenames. Sometimes you all click and get the clues, but sometimes there’s that sinking feeling when you realize what the spymaster meant but you just didn’t get it. Being a quick game, it makes it to the table a lot and is just a lot of fun.

For those who can’t read yet, there is also Codenames: Pictures, which is very similar but with pictures.  I find in a way this adds more to the game as pictures have a lot more elements you can describe and connect together than words sometimes do.

Pros

  • Team-based
  • Very easy to teach
  • It exercises lateral thinking
  • Quick and fun

Cons

  • Lots of pressure on the clue giver
  • It requires a basic knowledge of English

Sale

Codenames

Codenames

Work together to contact all of your agents before the other team!
A perfect party game experience for game nights
2-8 player (in two teams)
15 minutes playtime

2. Most Fun: Just One

Just One is a cooperative word game for 3 – 7 players that takes about 20 minutes. It’s a very light, fun party game that also makes an excellent family board game.

In Just One, you pick a bunch of cards out of a huge deck to be your guessing words for the game. As a group, you aim to guess the word cooperatively. You go around the table, taking turns. On your turn, you pick a card with a word on it that you don’t get to look at, and everyone else has to write down clues for you to guess that word.

The part that makes this fun is that if two people give a duplicate clue, that clue is eliminated and you don’t get the word. This means when you pick a clue, it has to be good enough to be related to the word, but obscure enough that no one else will pick it.

This game is just a lot of fun every time it comes to the table, and because it takes about 2 minutes to teach, it makes it to the table a lot.

Pros

  • There are always many funny moments in the game
  • It’s very easy to teach and quick to play
  • It uses lateral thinking
  • It’s a team game – you’re all working together

Cons

  • Very light
  • Not much strategy
  • It requires a basic knowledge of English

Just One

Just One

Cooperative game where you work together!
Easy and fun party game for the whole family
3-7 players
20 minutes playtime

3. Most Approachable: Decrypto

Decrypto is another lightweight game for 3 – 8 players that can take around 15 – 45 minutes.

In this game, there are 2 teams, and each team is given 4 words, something along the lines of:

  1. Path
  2. Spear
  3. Soap
  4. Cheese

One person on the team then picks up a decoder card that has 3 numbers on it, and they need to give clues related to the numbers on the card, so let’s say the decryption card says 1-3-4, they may give the clues walk (for path), wash (for soap), and dairy (for cheese). Both the opposing team and the players’ team need to guess the numbers on the decryption card. If the opposing team guesses correctly, they get a point, or if your team guesses incorrectly, you lose a point.

Because your team knows the words, you are at a distinct advantage for your clues, but you need to give clues that are obscure enough that as the game progresses, the opposing team doesn’t have too much information to guess the order and win.

It’s a very approachable game, and I find it takes a little more thinking and teamwork than Codenames or Just One, making it a great game for a group that wants something a bit deeper.  The interactivity in this game makes it one of my gaming group’s favorite word games.

Pros

  • Easy to teach
  • Lots of fun
  • Very interactive
  • Some strategic thinking when giving clues

Cons

  • Very competitive
  • It needs a lot of players
  • It requires a basic knowledge of English

Sale

Decrypto

Decrypto

Transmit secret codes without the opposing team intercepting
Strong interaction between players
3-8 players
15-45 minutes playtime

4. Best 2 Player Game: Codenames: Duet

Codenames: Duet is very similar to Codenames, except it’s designed as a two-player cooperative version.

In Codenames: Duet, there are 25 cards in a grid, each with a word on them, and you are looking for agents without guessing any of the assassins, but you are working together. Each player is given an answer key card with some of the agents and assassins revealed on it, and you are giving clues to each other so that you can together guess all 15 agents on the board without guessing any of the assassins before the timer runs out.

I do really like this game, as when you are working together to guess the agents it adds a lot of interactivity that I find the original codenames doesn’t have. It works fantastically as 2 players, but you can play it with more just by splitting into teams (though you don’t want them to be too big or not everyone will get to be involved in the decision).

Pros

  • A 2-player game
  • Uses lateral thinking
  • Cooperative

Cons

  • Timer-based (I prefer natural end conditions)
  • Pressure to give good clues

Sale

Codename Duet

Codename Duet

New cooperative gameplay
Campaign mode to record your progress
Great with two players
15-30 minutes playtime

5. Best Strategic: Letter Jam

Letter Jam is a game for 2 – 6 players that takes around 45 minutes. It’s an easy game in comparison to most board games, but with most word-guessing games being party games, this is probably the heaviest game on this list.

In this game, each player is given a set of letter cards that make up a word, but they don’t get to see the letters (a bit like Hanabi if you’ve played that before), they have to put them face up for others to see.

The clue giver then has to give a clue with the letters from other people’s words by giving each player a token with a number that is the position of the letter in their word. So let’s say the clue giver gives the word “CAT”. They may give the first player a 1 token as they have a C, and the second player a 2 token as they have the letter A. Each player then needs to look around and take a guess at what their letter is.

This is a very challenging game that will make you think. You can make it easier or harder by using longer or shorter words. If you are looking for a word guessing game that feels heavier than a party game, this is it.

Pros

  • A challenging game with lots of thinking
  • Easy to teach – lots of familiar mechanics to other games
  • Game moves quickly
  • It works well with a lower or higher number of players
  • Cooperative

Cons

  • Not as fun and exciting as others on this list
  • It is very difficult if you are not good at the type of thinking involved in word games

Sale

Letter Jam

Letter Jam

Cooperative word game fun for the whole family!
Exercises spelling and vocabulary skills
Difficulty is variable based on the length of word chosen in setup
2-6 players
45 minutes playtime

6. Best Cooperative: So Clover!

This is a cooperative party game for 3 – 6 players that takes around half an hour to play and is quite easy to learn. It’s made by the same company that made “Just One” and has a pretty similar feel, but it is different enough that if you like word guessing games it would be a worthwhile pickup.

In So Clover! each player has a board with 4 clovers, and you put a card with a word on it in each spot of the 2 x 2 grid. This leaves you with 2 different words on each edge, and you have to put a clue that associates these two words together on that edge. Then the word cards are removed and, using the clues on the 4 edges the other players have to guess where each of the word cards go.

I like this game because it is engaging and you get some clever word associations. While it’s a party game and super easy to teach and quick to play, I find it hits the spot for thinking a bit more than some of the others on this list.

Pros

  • No downtime (everyone takes their turn at once)
  • Quick to teach
  • It uses lateral thinking
  • It supports a large group
  • Engaging

Cons

  • Possibly a bit too similar to Codenames and Just One
  • Scoring is a bit simplistic

So Clover!

So Clover!

Interactive word association game!
Work together to figure out each players keywords
3-6 players
30 minutes playtime

7. Most Unique: When I Dream

This is an easy game for 4 – 10 players that takes around 20 – 40 minutes.

In each round of When I Dream, one player wears a mask as they are asleep, and the other players have the objective of either making them guess their dream word correctly, incorrectly, or half and half, and then they give the dreamer clues to try help them guess the word. The dreamer also gets points if at the end of the round they can correctly remember the cards from their dream (which is harder than it sounds as you are paying attention to who’s lying that you don’t remember the cards that well).

It’s fun and unique, it doesn’t feel like any other game you have played and therefore carves out an easy spot on a gaming shelf among other word-guessing and social deduction games which can tend to have a lot of crossover in mechanics.

Pros

  • Beautiful artwork
  • Very unique gameplay – does not feel like other games
  • You need to think to give subtle enough clues to not get caught in your objective
  • Quick and easy to teach

Cons

  • Everyone felt awkward when it was their turn to wear the mask
  • The game can be slightly unbalanced for the fairies (the ones trying to make the guess correct)

When I Dream

When I Dream

Innovative gameplay focuses on player imagination and creative interpretation
The various hidden roles add mystery, depth, and endless replay ability
Beautifully artwork immerses the players in a surreal and fun game world
4-10 players
20-40 minutes playtime

8. Best Social Deduction: Werewords

Werewords is an easy game for 4 – 10 players that takes only 10 minutes to play.

In this game, people in the group have 4 roles:

  • The Mayor – who knows the magic word to vanquish werewolves from the village but can’t speak
  • The Seer – who knows the word but can’t let the werewolf find out who they are
  • The Werewolf – knows the word and wants people to guess it wrong by asking misleading questions
  • The Villagers – who ask the mayor questions to try to guess the word correctly.

This game is won by the villagers if they guess the word without the werewolf guessing the seer, or if they don’t guess the word but can guess the werewolf, which makes for some interesting strategy as your goal isn’t always to guess the word as quickly as possible.

This game is kind of like 20 questions meets a social deduction game. For those who read my recommendations a lot, you’ll know I don’t particularly enjoy social deduction games, but I think this one works well because the social deduction is a lot more subtle than in other games.

Pros

  • Quick and easy to teach
  • Enjoyable game
  • It plays well with a larger gaming group
  • More subtle social deduction game
  • The App provides a huge variety of words

Cons

  • It doesn’t work for easy words, as the word can be guessed too early
  • You need to pay lots of attention
  • The addition of a words mechanic may not warrant purchasing this game if you already have a “Werewolf” social deduction game

Werewords

Werewords

Social deduction meets word game!
Figure out who is misleading the team to guess the wrong word
4-10 players
10 minutes playtime

9. Twist on a Classic: Trapwords

Trapwords is an easy game for 4 – 8 players that takes about 30 – 45 minutes.

If you’ve ever played the classic word board game Taboo before, it’s like that, but with a bit more to the game.

You play in two teams, and each team has a clue giver who is given a word and has to give clues to make their team guess the word correctly. The catch is that the other team picks the trap words, that is the words the clue giver is not allowed to say or they lose. But the clue giver doesn’t know what these words are, so they have to work around that and give some weird and wonderful clues that they hope don’t use the trap words the other team has chosen.

There is a secondary element to this game where you are romping through a dungeon and the words trigger traps. It’s fairly light and easy, and it’s great for people who want a more gamified experience, but I think it takes away from the essence of the game a little.

Pros

  • Fun game
  • It encourages lateral thinking with the need for clever clues
  • Team-based

Cons

  • The fantasy dungeon crawling aspect is unnecessary
  • It does not get as many laughs as other games on the list
  • Pretty luck based on what words the other team chooses

Sale

Trapwords

Trapwords

Team based word guessing game
Try not to use the other teams trap words!
4-8 players
30-45 minutes playtime

10. Best Mind Reading: Medium

Medium is a super light and easy game for 2 – 8 players that takes approximately 30 – 45 minutes to play.

In Medium, you are trying to be a medium and read each other’s minds. In pairs, players are given two cards, and they have to try to guess the same word that connects the words on the two cards together (they get 3 tries) to score points.

This is the kind of game that shines based on the players. If you have players with big personalities that like to laugh, then you’ll get some really weird connections between words. But if you have a quieter gaming group, then this game may fall a bit flat.

Pros

  • Hilarious game with the right group
  • Encourages very clever word association
  • It is good to encourage learning about how other people think

Cons

  • Weak win conditions, you play more for the activity and experience than for winning and losing
  • It is very frustrating if you think on different wavelengths
  • Can fall flat with more serious gaming groups

Sale

Medium

Medium

Medium is a social word game of reading your friends’ minds!
Players work in pairs to try get the word that connects their two cards
2-8 Players
30-45 minute playtime

Honorable Mentions

There aren’t actually that many word guessing games, but there are a few more worth mentioning that just didn’t make the cut for the top 10.

Some other great games don’t exactly fit the criteria of guessing words but give a very similar feeling when you play.

  • Wavelength – This is almost the opposite of a word guessing game. The player whose turn it is is given a category and a rating, and they have to give a word so the other players correctly guess the rating. For example, I might get the category food and 50%, so I pick sandwiches, as they’re good, but not necessarily great. This is one of my favorite board games, as it just brings everyone together to discuss ideas really well.
  • Cross Clues – this is another one that is similar to Just One, Codenames, and So Clover, where you have a grid of clues and are working to give a clue that crosses over between the two clues so that the other players choose the right spot in the grid to fill the grid up. It’s also a great game, I just didn’t want too many with the same mechanics in the top 10.
  • Detective Club – This is a social deduction game, where the clue giver lets everyone know a word except one person, and then everyone has to play cards that relate to that word. The clue giver then says the word and everyone has to justify why their cards are related to that word (with one player completely bluffing) and the other players have to figure out who’s bluffing. It’s a very fun game involving words, but since you aren’t guessing a word it didn’t make the list.
  • Master Word – This is like the traditional game Mastermind, but with words. So there is a person that knows the word you are trying to guess, and the other players give 4 words each round, with the guide then telling them how many clues they guessed that relate to the word. It can be a bit subjective on what the guide thinks is related, but as Mastermind was one of my favorite games as a kid, I just can’t help but like this game.

Conclusion

There are quite a few good word-guessing games out there. The most popular by far are Codenames, Codenames: Duet, and Just One, which are all fantastic games. But if you are looking for something similar but that has its own unique twist (maybe someone in your gaming group already owns these games or you’ve played them to death), then So Clover! and Cross Clues are both fantastic games with similar vibes.

If you are looking for a social deduction game, I highly recommend When I Dream as it has a unique twist on the genre. Werewords is also pretty good, it’s pretty similar to the One Night Ultimate Werewolf social deduction games but adds in the twist of word guessing that makes it a bit more interesting.

If you are looking for something a bit deeper, Letter Jam is the only word guessing game that isn’t a light party game and requires you to think and concentrate a lot more to cooperatively figure out what everyone’s words are.

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

Are you a word geek
looking for new word board games to play?

Or are you simply
searching for something new to amuse you and your friends on game night?

Perhaps are you a parent
seeking games for your partner and kids that are both educational and entertaining?

If so, you have landed
on the right page! In this post, we share the 9 best word board games for you and the crew. We picked these games
based on the number of positive reviews and high ratings they got from
satisfied consumers.

Instead of mindlessly
scrolling through your social media accounts and wasting valuable time, it’s
probably time to consider other hobbies like playing board games. You’ll might
be surprised how much this activity can be beneficial to your soul, mind, and body.

Without further ado, let’s check out our list of the best word board games!

1. Bananagrams

Bananagrams is an excellent choice for parents who are looking to play
word board games with their children.
In addition to fun and entertainment, this anagram game promises an
educational experience for kids, especially those who are starting to learn
more complex words.

The rules are simple and
easy to understand. First, you need to distribute the tiles among all players
(maximum of eight players) facedown—21 tiles each for two to four players; 15
tiles each for five to six players; and, 11 tiles each for seven to eight
players. Start the game by saying “Split!” and everyone turns their tiles over.

The objective of this
game is to be the first person to use all their letters. You may form words
horizontally from left to right, or vertically from top to bottom. You may also
rearrange your grid any time you want. After placing your last letter in your
grid, call out “Peel!” and everyone has to take another tile from the “Bunch.”

One rule to remember is
that you can put one of your letters back, face-down in the Bunch, by saying “Dump!”
However, you have to take three more tiles in exchange for that one letter. You
may do as many “dumps” as you like.

Whoever is the first
person to use all their letters once the Bunch is empty is the winner. But he
has to shout “Bananas!” to let the others know. The competitors should then
inspect his grid to see if there are misspelled words, proper nouns, or any
other unacceptable words. If there are, then they have to shout “Rotten
Banana!” to kick the false winner out of the game.

Pros

  • Has fast-paced gameplay, and you can have as many rounds as you like.
  • An excellent game for anyone, whether kids, teens, or adults.
  • Suitable for multiple players or solo gaming.

Cons

  • Choose your seller wisely, as fake sellers deliver tiles in poor conditions.

2. Quiddler

If you are looking for a fast-paced, short-duration word board game,
then Quiddler is the answer.
This
game exercises both your vocabulary and spelling skills, and is most suitable
for children six years old and above. There can be 1 to 10 players, and the one
with the highest score at the end of the game is the winner.

In this game, each
player is required to create words from the cards in their hands. You have to
be cautious, however, since the number of cards increases every round. There
are eight rounds to deal with, and you can have as many as 10 cards on the last
round. Every card has its corresponding value, so if you have the most number
of words formed with high-value cards by the end of the game, you will have the
most number of points.

This word board game
allows you to form even the simplest of words like “at,” “of,” “zoo,” and a lot
more. This is why it is recommended to kids. There are bonuses, too. For
instance, the player with the most words formed and the player who forms the
longest word get additional points. In the case of a tie, no one receives the
bonus points.

Quiddler has a high
rating on online stores, with almost a perfect store, as well as lots of
positive feedback. If you are looking for a game you can play with your
children, then we highly recommend this one.

Pros

  • Although designed to be fast, you can play the game at your own pace.
  • Award-winning word board game; tried and tested by expert players.
  • Makes a perfect gift for friends or family members who like word games.

Cons

  • Some customers do not recommend the dictionary that comes with it.

3. Hasbro Scrabble

The game Scrabble was created
by Alfred Mosher Butts in 1938, and since then has became a popular way to
spend fun nights with friends, colleagues, and family members.

This particular version
of Scrabble is from Hasbro Gaming, which is one of the largest companies in the
world that makes toys and other means of entertainment. The goal of the game is
to form words on the board and gain points.

For every tile you use
to create a word, you have to draw a replacement from the bag. The game ends
once there are no more tiles, and the player with the most number of points
wins. To determine who has the most points, you’ll have to record your score on
each turn with pen and paper, and then add them up at the end.

Scrabble may be played
solo, with two to three players, or with a group of friends. You need a bit of
luck, as you have to draw tiles blindly, but the game also rewards those with
good strategy and extensive vocabularies.

Pros

  • Traditional, classic board game; instructions may be found anywhere.
  • Beneficial for small kids and older people for brain development and memory retention;
  • Improves not just vocabulary, but also strategic and critical thinking.

Cons

  • You must have outstanding vocabulary skills to win this game.
  • Paper and pen are needed to record your scores.

4. Big Boggle

Big Boggle is an excellent choice for those seeking a word game with a
bit of pressure.
The goal of
the game is to list as many words as you can from the randomly assorted letters
given to you at the start. However, you only have three minutes to do so, which
means you have to think and write quickly.

This board game comes with
25 standard letter cubes, one double letter cube, a cube grid with a dome, and
a three-minute sand timer. At the beginning of the game, each player takes a
pen/pencil and paper to list their words. The cube grid is then prepared by
shaking the cubes until they fall into place.

Once the timer starts,
all players should use the assorted letters and come up with words of four or
more letters. Write down every word you can think of until the time runs out.
Words must be formed from adjoining letters on the grid.

When the timer stops,
all players compare their lists of words with one another. All words that have
been played by multiple people are not scored. The remaining words are scored,
the one who earns the most points is the winner.

Pros

  • Game mechanics are easy to learn and understand.
  • Artwork and design are nice and pleasant.
  • The element of time and pressure makes the game more exciting.

Cons

  • Some word combinations are complicated for children (and even some adults).

5. Tapple

Tapple is a fast-paced word board game that is most suitable for
families who like playing games during holidays, parties, and family
gatherings.
It is also easy to
store and carry, and therefore can be packed during vacations, trips, and long
getaways.

This board game comes
with a portable Tapple wheel and 36 topic cards with 144 categories. The goal
is simple: You have to produce an answer to the category cards using only the letters
available on the wheel. Aim to be the last player left in each round to get a
score, then collect three topic cards and you win.

Tapple is a
time-pressure and elimination game. You only have 10 seconds to answer every
round, and if you fail to do so, you get kicked out for that round. If you give
an answer that does not match the category, you get eliminated. The last person
standing gains the point and is declared the winner for that round.

Remember that when you
give your answer, you have to press the first letter of the word and then reset
the timer to pass the turn. Otherwise, you are disqualified. Likewise, keep in
mind that once a letter has been used, the others can no longer press that
letter for that round.

Pros

  • Provides a fun and entertaining way for kids to learn new words.
  • Equally exciting for adults and experienced players.
  • An excellent word board game to give as a Christmas or birthday gift.

Cons

  • Some customers report that the timer is too loud and annoying.
  • Could have been better if there were a different tie-breaker.

6. Word on the Street

If you are searching for a very competitive word board game, then you
should include this one on your list.
Word on the Street is a tug-of-words type of game where each team fights
for its desired letters to form high-scoring words. The first team to get the
eight letter tiles becomes the winner.

There are two teams in
this game, and they take turns “on the street,” or on the board. The letter
tiles are put in their corresponding place on the middle lane of the board
called the “Median Strip.” There are different rules with regard to turns, but
the main objective is to capture all eight letter tiles before the other team
does.

The key to winning this
game is to brainstorm with your teammates while the other team is making its
move. You all must agree on one word, and pull the letters of that word closer
to your side of the street before time runs out, and before the other team does
the same. Word on the Street is not just a vocabulary game, but also a game of
speed and strategy.

Pros

  • Allows you to use more strategy than other word board games.
  • The race element of the game makes it more fun and challenging.
  • Builds camaraderie and teamwork among team members.

Cons

  • Might not be fun enough for people in small groups (or if played alone or by two players).
  • Rules might be too complicated for small children.

7. Pairs in Pears

Pairs in Pears is somewhat similar to Bananagrams, so if you are looking
for an alternative to the latter, then this word board game is a good fit.
In this game, the goal is to make as many
pairs as possible, but they have to be matching suits.

The game comes with 104
tiles, and the number of tiles you can take depends on the number of players
there are. Similarly, the number of pairs needed to win also depends on the
number of players. There are, however, other ways to play this game, and they
are all explained in the game’s guide.

Pairs in Pears is a
racing and counting game in which you try to be the first to produce as many as
possible pairs with matching suits. It is a great way for children (and adults)
to improve their memory retention and cognitive skills, and is also a means to
develop pattern recognition and vocabulary.

Pros

  • Fun and engaging, even for very young children.
  • Game components are made of high-quality materials.
  • Good game for mind stimulation, especially among children and older people.

Cons

  • Some customers think that it is only best for two to three players.
  • Others report that the rulebook needs to be more comprehensive.

8. Dabble

If you are a fast thinker and can come up with an answer in less than a
minute, then Dabble might be the word board game for you.
This game tests not just your vocabulary skills,
but also your speed and agility.

The board game includes
all the letters of the Spanish and English alphabets, so it can be played in
both languages. It is appropriate for two to four players, ages 10 years old
and up, and you can even play it in teams.

The rules of the game
are simple. All players must pick 20 tiles from the bag without looking, and
then place their tiles face down. When the game starts, they all turn their
tiles and start the timer, then create five words (a two-letter word,
three-letter word, four-letter word, five-letter word, and six-letter word).
Points are recorded every round, and the first to reach 500 points is the
winner.

Other players may
challenge words if they have been misspelled or if they are not words at all.
You will need to have a dictionary on hand for challenges. Unlike Scrabble,
however, some words (e.g., foreign words, archaic words, colloquial words,
etc.) are accepted in Dabble.

Pros

  • Greatly enhances your quick-thinking abilities.
  • Challenging enough for both kids and adults.
  • Available in two languages: English and Spanish.

Cons

  • The game manufacturer could develop more rules to add excitement.

9. Upwords

Upwords is a great game
if you are searching for a high-stacking, word-building game. In this game, you
don’t just think of words to form, but you also stack tiles to change words.
Your score is not based solely on the number of words you form, but also on the
level of tiles you stack—the higher you stack, the higher your score is.

Similar to Scrabble, the
game begins by each player drawing seven tiles from the bag. The first player
starts the game by placing a word on the board, and then drawing new tiles from
the bag. Every player who comes next forms a word by adding letters to the
previous tiles on the board.

Unlike Scrabble,
however, you can place your letters on top of the other letters that are
already on the board. For instance, if the word is “HAT,” you can use the
letters T, R, E, S, and S to add to the end of the word, and then cover H with
M to form the word “MATTRESS.”

There are a few other rules
to consider in this game that are not in Scrabble. One example is the points
system, as Upwords’ letter tiles all have one point each. There are also no
double or triple letter word scores for additional points.

If you are looking for a
Scrabble-like game with a bit of a twist, you might want to consider checking
out this game.

Pros

  • Game mechanics are easy to learn and understand.
  • Similar to Scrabble, with a bit of twist.
  • Offers intense, strategic, unique wordplay.

Cons

  • Could have been better if the scoring were more interesting.
  • Choose your seller wisely, as fake sellers deliver low-quality games.

Final Thoughts on Word and Vocabulary Board Games

We highly recommend
these word board games for those who are looking for a bit of fun and a great
way to help their children learn. After all, these types of games have shown to
be beneficial for a person’s brain development and cognitive skills. And while
your children are learning and having fun, you get to be a part of their
experience.

We also suggest these
games for those who have gotten tired of playing the usual mystery, roleplaying, and deck-building board games. You might want to try changing the flavor of
your game night and see how well you do in other types of board games.

Whatever your reason is
for checking out this post, we hope that we were able to help you find a game
that suits your tastes.

Have you already tried
playing one or more of these board games?

Let us know which one by
sharing your story in the comment fields below. We’d love to hear about your
experience!

word board games | best board games | word games

If you’re a wordsmith, a word-wiz, or just enjoy a little wordplay, these word board games are right up your vocabulary alley. Word board games can be used as an educational tool, as a hilarious party game, or simply as a way to keep your wordy wits about you. If you’re not into word games, don’t fret, word unscrambling tools can give you an assist in any word game while improving your vocabulary.

So on-words and up-words, here are our top 20 best word board games!

Like Word Games? Why not also check out our list of Puzzle Games and Trivia Games that keep you mentally active, while still having fun?

🏆 Our Top Picks for Best Word Board Games

In a hurry? Take a quick peek before you go.

Best Team

Decrypto

4.0

Best Quick

Bananagrams

3.8

Best Overall

When I Dream

4.2

04/11/2023 05:30 pm GMT

When I Dream

When I Dream Board Game Box and Components

Players: 4-10
Playing time: 20-40 min

Put on your sleep masks and try to decipher your dreams!

When we fall asleep and enter a dream world, the imagination and imagery can be truly magical. When I Dream turns players into dreamers. Be careful when entering the magical world of dreams because the Dream Spirits want to have fun!

When I Dream is an innovative game that puts a focus on creativity and player imagination. Put on your sleep mask and try to interpret the Dream Spirits messages. With fairies, naughty spirits, and even the Boogeyman, the game has an array of characters that make it challenging and that give the game depth. 

This is an excellent fast-paced party game that’ll have you storytelling before the Boogeyman wreaks havoc!

What we liked

When I Dream offers some new unique mechanics that give the word game genre something to think about. Combine that with the gorgeous artwork and you get a really pretty and fun game. 

What could be better

With the timer included, it can rapidly descend into chaos.

When I Dream

Werewords

Werewords Board Game

Players: 4-10
Playing time: 10 min

Guess the magic word!

In Werewords, players must guess a secret word by asking ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions. Be careful, time catches up to you! Like in most games, there’s always a villain looming and trying to interrupt play. In Werewords, one player is secretly a werewolf.

Not only is this player working against you, but they also know the Magic Word. Even if you don’t guess the word in time, you still have the chance of exposing the werewolf and winning the game!

What’s cool about this word game is that it comes with an iOS/Android app that’ll provide thousands of words in hundreds of categories giving the game-high replayability. 

What we liked

It’s like One Night Ultimate Werewolf but combined with a word game. It’s a weird combination that seems to work very well. 

What could be better

Like the original Werewolf, Werewords suffers from similar role management. There are only a handful of roles that are really fun to play, but most players end up as villagers.

Will you figure out the word or will the werewolf get you? Better get your top wordsmith on the case.

Werewords

Trapwords

Trapwords Board Game Box and Contents

Players: 4-8
Playing time: 30-45 min

You know the secret word your teammates must guess. You’ll give clues to help but the other team has other plans in mind. They’ve set a list of ‘trapwords’. You can’t say them or you’ll end up trapped in dungeons with terrifying monsters. Easy enough? Oh, there’s also a time limit. 

Trap words is a fast-paced party game that seems like a simple task of giving clues but gets more challenging by not knowing which words can be said. 

If you’re looking for a word game with a fantasy theme, Trapwords takes you into the fantasy world of dungeons and monsters.

What we liked

Trapwords is a fun fantasy variation of Taboo. The rules are changed enough to make it more interesting to play than Taboo.

What could be better

The timer can be tricky, especially for younger players.

Trapwords

Decrypto

Decrypto Board Game Logo and Art

Players: 3-8
Playing time: 15-45 min

Decrypto has a fun vintage aesthetic, surely making it a favorite among the hipster community. But really, this word game blends decoding and player interaction through interesting mechanics.

In this game, teammates try to transmit secret codes without letting the opposing team intercept them. Using clever graphic anaglyph components, players slide cards into the screens to decode the words.

The communication limits make Decrypto a fun and challenging word game to play, plus you’ll feel like a code breaker sending secret messages.

What we liked

The option to guess the other team’s words and clues adds another level to a fun word game. 

What could be better

I’m not sure why, but I had trouble with Decrypto’s rules. It took me far longer than it should have to understand everything and teach it to my gaming group. It could have just been me, but it did give me trouble.

Decrypto

Letter Jam

Letter Jam Board Game Box and Board Setup

Players: 2–6
Playing time: 45 min

Your friend gives the clue. Can you guess your secret letter? 

Letter Jam is a cooperative word game where players work together to compose meaningful words from letters around the table. But the twist is only the other players can see your letter cards, not you. 

Letter Jam combines team-based play and players’ deduction skills. Pull together as a team, find the clues, and reap the fruits of cooperation!

Jam out at the next game night and decipher the codes!

What we liked

Under its simple exterior, Letter Jam offers a cerebral word game that delivers more gameplay the longer you play. 

What could be better

It’s played best with more players and is all but obsolete at 2-players.

Letter Jam

Bananagrams

Bananagrams Travel Game Tiles and Banana Bag

Players: 1-8
Playing time: 15 mins

A fun game for everyone that’ll drive you bananas.

Gather your friends and family and race against each other to build crossword grids. Bananagrams is an educational and entertaining game with which you can teach kids how to spell words all while having fun at the same time. 

In Bananagrams, players have to build their words with letters as fast as they possibly can. A race to finish, speed, and a great vocabulary make the game super exciting. 

What we liked

The game is in a case that’s shaped like an actual banana, making it a great travel game. It can fit in any bag and it comes in a cute package. What’s not to like?

What could be better

If you have trouble with words then the real-time movements and actions can be tricky to deal with.

Bananagrams

Blank Slate

Blank Slate Board Game Box and Components

Players: 3-8
Playing time: 20-35 min

The game where great minds think alike. 

Blank Slate is a game of predictions. “The game where great _ _ _ _ _ think alike!” Easy to learn and quick to play makes Blank Slate a fun game for all levels.

By picking a word cue card, you’ll write which word you think best completes a phrase. To take this a step further, you’ll have to try to match it to another player’s words. 

In this clever party game, prediction skills are key to matching words. If you get good enough you’ll soon be winning the _ _ _ _!

What we liked

Blank Slate is a simple and very fast-playing word game. It works very well as an icebreaker and introduction for people who just met. 

What could be better

Your enjoyment of Blank Slate is going to highly depend on who you are playing with.

Blank Slate

Codenames

Codenames Board Game Expansions - XXL and Pictures

Players: 2-8
Playing time: 15 min

‘The top-secret word game. Win or lose, it’s fun to figure out the clues!’

There are good reasons why Codenames has become a staple on board gamers’ shelves. Codenames is a deceptively awesome game that’s easy to learn and perfect for parties. 

Codenames is a social word game in which two rival spymasters know 25 secret agents. Their teams only know agents by codenames. Make contact with all your agents first and win. Although this game can be challenging, the social component keeps everyone entertained as they race to finish first.

This is a fun game when you’re winning, but even better when you’re losing. 

What we liked

Codenames is quick, easy to learn, and a blast. There’s a reason it’s become a go-to game in so many households. 

What could be better

There’s a lot of hype surrounding Codenames. There are numerous games out there that do the same thing, Codenames just does it really well. If you’re looking for something innovative and unique, you’ll be disappointed.

Codenames

More versions of Codenames

Codenames XXL

Codenames: Marvel

Poetry for Neanderthals

Poetry for Neanderthals Board Game Box and Instructions

Players: 2-12
Playing time: 15 min

A word game where you must ‘speak good’ or get hit with a stick.

Poetry for Neandertals is a competitive word-guessing game. Players are only allowed to use single-syllable words to give clues to their team to guess the phrase.

For example, the word is broccoli, you’ll have to say something like, ‘green food, live long’. Use a big word, you’ll get hit on the head with a 2-foot-long inflatable club.

From the geniuses that brought us Exploding Kittens, Poetry for Neandertals is another fun addition to a game night. With only 15 minutes to play, this hilarious, challenging, cutthroat game tests the patience of logophiles the world over.

What we liked

If you’re a fan of The Oatmeal webcomic, you’re going to love the artwork and irreverent humor. It’s just as ridiculous and fun as it looks. 

What could be better

The humor is a bit low-brow. If you’re not comfortable speaking oddly and smacking friends over the head, then this is probably going to be a miss.

Poetry for Neanderthals

Just One

Just One Board Game Box and Components

Players: 3-7
Playing time: 20 min

A cooperative party game where you’ll have to work together to discover the mystery words!

Just One starts with one player drawing a card and choosing a number from it. Each player gets one clue word and together you’ll try to solve the mystery word. Just One is a brilliant word game as it combines cooperative skills with deduction, memory, and creative thinking.

What we liked

I really like the mechanic that discards identical clues. This forces you to be strategic and creative with your clues. Easy-to-learn and easy to play make Just One a relaxed game for everyone.

What could be better

Just One is great, but it can feel as if turns take forever and that’s not good for a party game.

Just One

Punderdome

Punderdome Board Game Box and Cards

Players: 3- 99
Playing time: 30-90 min

A card game for the pun lovers among us. 

Punderdome will have you laughing out loud with its punny cards and creative style of play. 

Once a pun a time, the creators of Punderdome saw a space in the word game market for a pun game for family and friends. With pun jokes on the back of each card, you can entertain the crowds while waiting to come up with a pun. Some can take longer than others but you can play with no time limits. 

If you’re a pun lover, this is a punderful card game that you won’t regret purchasing.

What we liked

Unlike many of the other games on this list, Punderdome offers quite a lot of opportunities for creativity. It lets you create something instead of just showing off your knowledge of vocabulary. 

What could be better

It’s a game about puns. You’re going to be groaning and laughing, but if you’re not well-versed in puns and dad jokes, it may be a little dry.

Punderdome

Quiddler

Players: 1-8
Playing time: 30 min

Quiddler: Simply for the fun of words. 

Quiddler is a short word game that’s a great pick for word lovers as well as non-word-game players. With this card game, the goal is to arrange your cards in your hand to create one or more words.

If you deal more cards, you’ll have more opportunities to create words. At the end of the game, the highest score wins. 

Quiddler is a sort of Uno-style word game as some cards can double letters and add bonuses to your points. Sharpening your word skills and a bit of luck will have you winning Quiddler!

What we liked

Quiddler makes for a great travel game. It’s simple enough that anyone can play and it’s so easy to pull it out and play wherever you are. 

What could be better

Quiddler relies on luck of the draw to get letters. If you have an extensive vocabulary you can overcome bad draws, but it’s still luck-based.

Quiddler

Hot Words

Players: 4-16
Playing time: 20-30 min

Hot Words is a party game where you can’t say that. 

In Hot Words, you’ll describe words while your team tries to guess what the word is. In each of the 4 rounds, your team will pick a spicy jalapeño card that has a ‘Hot Word’ on it that you can’t say. 

As each round goes by, it’ll get hotter and harder but also more hilarious trying to avoid all the ‘Hot Words’ your team has accumulated.

What we liked

Hot Words provides a simple concept and puts it together in a nice little package. It’s a wordplay game that has a ton of replayability. 

With fun added elements like a ghost pepper round, a 90-second sand timer, a dinner bell, and little hot sauce bottles, Hot Words is a fun and exciting party game!

What could be better

If you’re looking for a smaller group game, Hot Words is best played as a party game with more players.

Can you handle the heat?

Hot Words

Dabble

Players: 2-4
Playing time: 30-60 min

The game where if you can spell, you can play!

Dabble is a fast word game that’s both educational and fun. To start the game you say ‘GO!’ and players race to spell 5 words using 20 tiles. The first person to spell their word wins!

What we liked

The added difficulty of making multiple words of varying sizes seems like a simple concept but definitely makes Dabble stand out. 

What could be better

Like a lot of word games, if you have someone who memorizes vocabulary words in their free time, they’ll absolutely destroy everyone. It’s best to play with people of the same skill and vocabulary level.

Dabble

Word a Round

Players: 2
Playing time: 20 min

Race to unravel the word! 

Word a Round is a challenging word game where you’ll have to quickly figure out where the word starts and then read it aloud before your opponent. As you answer on the spot, the game becomes a little more difficult as you race to answer. Mistakes are made under pressure so players have to have their wits about them. 

Word a Round is an award-winning card game that’s a great educational tool in classrooms or at home. It helps develop critical thinking skills, making it a favorite among speech therapists. If you are looking for a fun game that’ll also help with learning, this is a great choice. 

What we liked

Word a Round can be learned in seconds and it’s one of the most unique word games on this list. 

What could be better

Since this requires you to guess at words around a circular card, it can be difficult for people with visual impairments.

Word a Round

Word on the Street

Players: 2-10
Playing time: 20 min

A hilarious tug of words.

Word on the Street is a card game in which players take turns flipping category cards, racing the clock to come up with the answer. With each correct answer, you move closer to the sidewalk… and to safety. 

With 432 different categories, there is huge variation and replayability. This game is particularly focused on being educational. It helps players improve their vocabulary, practice spelling, and develop social skills. 

What we liked

Word on the Street is a simple enough word game but combines wordplay with enough strategy to make it unique. 

What could be better

You’ll need to have quick recall of your vocabulary, so if you’re looking for a slow burn game then this is not what you’re looking for.

Word on the Street

Wordplay: Family Edition

Players: 2

If your family loves word games, WordPlay is a fast-paced challenge in which everyone plays every round. 

A fun spinner determines the letters and the category for each round. For example, ‘Food and Drinks’ means you can only use words that begin with the letter ‘E’. The difference with this family edition is even if you think of things that don’t start with the correct letter, you still score some points.

This game is a friendly and inclusive way to help kids learn and be introduced to the wonderful world of word board games. 

What we liked

Wordplay is a simple word game that appeals to everyone. It’s simple enough that anyone can pick it up and have some fun right out of the box. 

What could be better

Wordplay’s universal appeal means that there’s no real innovation or new mechanics. It’s fun, but you’ve seen it before and will see it again in other word games.

Wordplay: Family Edition

Upwords

Players: 1-4
Playing time: 90 min

Upwords a game of quick stacking and word hacking. 

In this word-building game, the higher you stack, the higher your score. With each player starting out with 7 words that you can play up or down, the game almost feels like Scrabble.

But here, you can stack letters on top of others. When you stack letters higher on each other, you earn more points. This makes Upwords more intense and strategic. 

Upwords is very versatile and can be played solo to challenge yourself, with kids, or with your friends. Experience this high-stakes, high-stacking word game, and grow your vocabulary as you go!

What we liked

I honestly prefer Upwords over Scrabble. The tile stacking adds a whole new dimension to the classic wordplay formula. 

What could be better

It’s a minor issue, but I’m not a fan of the components on the deluxe board. They work fine, but the color scheme makes it difficult to see for me.

Upwords

Wordical

Players: 2-8

The radical, dice-rolling, word-building race!

Wordical is another educational word game in which players roll a vowel die and combine consonants to make a word. It’s a fun way for kids to develop their spelling skills and build vocabulary. It’s easy to learn and moves quickly so there are no long pauses.

This is a wonderful game for the classroom or for students who are struggling with their phonics.

What we liked

The dice add an interesting twist to this word game. Randomness is usually added through other means, but it’s a refreshing take on the word game genre. 

What could be better

It’s a simple travel game, so the rules and gameplay are very simple. You won’t find in-depth strategy here, but that’s ok for a word game.

Wordical

Wordsmithery

Players: 2- 99
Playing time: 20 min

The game for every wordsmith, young and old.

Wordsmithery is a fun, fast-paced game in which you can test your wordsmith skills. Draw a word, read it to your opponent, and see if they can guess the meaning from the three options.

With some difficult words like ‘egregious’ or ‘phalanx’, it could seem difficult for children but included are 50 easier cards for kids. The different levels of difficulty make this a family-friendly word board game. 

What we liked

The concept is extremely easy to understand and the word choices are genuinely fun to play with. 

What could be better

Eventually, you’re going to memorize all of the words available in the box. There are only so many times you can be surprised by a word before we simply learn it.

Wordsmithery

Wrap-Up

What are your favorite word games to play? We hope you enjoyed our top picks for the best word board games out there! Let us know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these or if we missed any that you think should be on the list. We’d love to hear from you!

Happy Wordsmithing!

Kendra Bruning

Kendra has always been a hardcore fantasy nerd. Growing up in the worlds of Tolkien, Sanderson, Jordan, and Abercrombie, DnD & board games just came naturally. She and her husband, Bryan, started GameCows.com in 2018 as a fun passion project that just took over their lives. An avid board gamer since childhood and chronic DnD chronicler for more than two decades, she loves to play, write, travel, and learn dead languages.

We love playing word board games. Discover some of the best board games with words for adults, kids, and families. Card word games included.

We grew up in households filled with board games. We had Hungry Hippos, Pictionary, Operation, Battleship, and of course, card games like Uno and Old Maid.

Can you tell what era we grew up in? We also obsessively watched Garfield and Friends on Saturday mornings.

As we grew older and found our true loves — books, adult grape juice, and travel — our gaming habits matured.

We started playing more word board games like Taboo and Scattergories. We also craved the best classic word-based board games like Balderdash, Scrabble, and Boggle.

Today, our coat closets and desk shelves are nearly bursting from the seams with word board games for adults. And, nothing beats playing card games with words over drinks.

With so many games out there, how do you choose the best word board games? Which games are family-friendly and adults only?

Below, discover some of our favorite classic word board games along with newer games that are perfect for a rainy day inside with friends and family.

Don’t forget to let us know your favorite word board game in the comments. Let’s get started!

Explore all of our gift guides, including more board games.

Best Word Board Games and Board Games With Words with photo of scrabble letter tiles spelling out Word
Keep reading to uncover fun word board games for everyone.

Classic Word Board Games

What are some sentimental classic word games that remind you of your childhood? Here are a few of ours:

Boggle

Word board games like Scrabble such as Super Boggle with letters in a plastic tray, Boggle box, and sand timer

Although we’ve never been amazing at Boggle — our minds just don’t work like that — set the timer, shake up letters, and watch where they fall.

Try to make as many four-letter plus words as you can before time runs out. Super Boggle is a tad bigger so each round lasts for 3-minutes.

Scrabble

Scrabble word board game box with tiles with letters

Scrabble is probably one of the most well-known classic word board games perfect for ages 8+. Players take turns making words with letter tiles to earn points.

Bananagrams

Board games like Scrabble, Bananagrams yellow banana bag carrying case

Bananagrams is a word board game like Scrabble fit for the whole family. Players attempt to make crossword word grids and is all about spelling.

Bananagrams is super portable and great for traveling.

Scattergories

Classic word game, Scattergories, red box with two black shadow people holding pads and pens

One of our favorite word games as a kid, every household needs Scattergories.

Roll the letter dice. In a set amount of time, fill in categories using only words that start with that letter. The more unique and longer, the better.

Word Search

Word Search Puzzle book

Word Search is a classic game with words. Search for the words in the puzzle. These are incredibly easy to print out at home too.

Mad Libs

Word games for writers, purple Mad Libs pad

Mad Libs was all the rage in the 90s. Mad Libs is one of the most fun board games with words for writers in the making. Get creative and thoughtful with your vocabulary.

Grab a pen to fill in the blanks for a half-completed story. Each blank asks for an adjective, noun, or something slightly more specific.

Make your narrative as silly or as serious and real as you like.

Word Board Games Like Scrabble

Are you looking for word board games similar to Scrabble? Try these:

Dabble

Dabble board game with letter tiles on a stand

Dabble is a word board game that the entire family can play. Recommended for 8+ years old, players race to spell out 5 words using their 20 tiles.

Two to four people can participate, and this word creation game is perfect for spelling and vocabulary building.

Quiddler Word Game

Quiddler word board game box with letter cards

A fast-paced card game with words perfect for 1 to 10 players, Quiddler asks participants to organize the letter cards in their hands into short words.

With each round, players take on more cards and the highest score wins.

Upwords

Word board games similar to Scrabble like Upwords, game box with letter tiles stacked on top of each other with pig and dog balancing on a log on a egg

Upwords is exactly like Scrabble except that players can build words on top of existing ones. The higher you stack your letters, the more points you earn. Upwords is for 2-4 players, ages 8+.

One Up!

One Up! The Wicked Smart Word Game tin with wooden tile letters

Be the first person to make a word out of the tiles flipped upside down in the center of the table. But, beware as players can steal your word by adding their own letters.

Family-Friendly Word Board Games

What are some of the best word board games that you can play with the entire family? Here are a few:

Super Big Boggle

Word board games for the family like Super Big Boggle 6x6 letter grid, timer, and game box

There are a ton of versions of the word board game, Boggle. Super Big Boggle is one of them.

Imagine Boggle but with a 6×6 letter grid. Players have 6-minutes to create as many words as they can.

Pass The Pen

Pass The Pen word and drawing game box with pen with a timer and paper with a sketch

Pass The Pen is a fun and fast-paced game for families that incorporates words and drawing. You have 10 seconds to draw a picture while all of the other players have to guess what it is.

If someone guesses correctly, you earn points. If not, you pass the pen to the next player.

P For Pizza

P for Pizza board game with words in shape of yellow pizza

P For Pizza is a family-friendly board game with words for children 8+. This game is best for 2 and 4 players.

The goal is to shout out a word that links the letter on one card to the category on another. Find color-coated cards of varying difficulty and with different categories.

The first player to collect nine pizza cards and build their giant pizza slice wins the game.

Herd Mentality

Herd Mentality board game box with black and white cow spots and pink splotch

Herd Mentality is another fun card game with words perfect with 4 to 20 players that are ages 10+.

Read aloud a random question: “What is the best way to cook an egg?” Players must quickly write down their answers.

The goal is to figure out what everyone else is thinking. If your answer is in the majority, you win cows.

If your answer is unique, you get stuck with the pink cow.

Word A Round

Word A Round board game with blue and red spinners

Word A Round is an award-winning board game that is fun for everyone. Words are positioned in one continuous ring.

Players must figure out where the word starts and be the first to read it aloud.

Danger Word

Danger Word board game box with cartoon Ellen DeGeneres on it

Created by Ellen DeGeneres, Danger Word is best for ages 10+ and is one of the most fun card word games.

Guess the winning word to win. If you accidentally say the danger word, you lose the card.

It’s In The Bag

It's In The Bag board game box

If you love card games with words like charades and Pictionary, try It’s In The Bag.

There are three rounds: describe the word, describe the word using only one word, and act out the word.

Blank Slate

Blank Slate board game with single words on cards box

If you need a word-guessing board game for family game night, Blank Slate asks players to predict what everyone else is thinking.

Write a word to complete the phrase, and earn points if you match only one other person.

Word Board Games For Adults (and Teens)

In need of word games for adults and teens? Try these:

4-Bidden Words

Word board games for adults, 4-Bidden Words purple to blue ombre game box

A game recommended for 17+, 4-Bidden Words players compete against a timer to guess the Buzz Word without using any of the forbidden words.

This adult guessing word board game is recommended for holidays, reunions, and party nights.

Balderdash

Balderdash word board game with box, playing cards, board, and pieces.

Balderdash is the perfect board game for adults, tweens, and teens. Players roll the dice for one of 5 categories: famous people, words, initials, laws, and movies.

Each player writes down what they think the real definition or explanation is while one player records the correct answer.

Players then vote on which answer they think is right.

Codenames

Word board games for teens Codenames box with woman and male spy and cartoon talking bubbles

Codenames is a contemporary and social word board game recommended for ages 14+. This game is best with 4 players.

Teams compete to see who can make contact with all of their secret agents first. Spymasters give one-word clues, which indicate multiple words on the board.

Teammates must avoid guessing words that belong to their opponents. Don’t get caught by the assassin.

Taboo

Taboo board game purple box

A classic card word game for adults and teens, Taboo is recommended for 13+.

We love to play this one around the holidays. Guess the word based on clues without saying the forbidden word.

What Do You Meme?

New word board games, What Do You Meme white game box

Recommended for 17+, compete to create the funniest memes.

What Do You Meme? is a newer word board game for adults only that is sure to make you laugh. You can also order expansion packs.

Best Word Games pinterest pin with scrabble letter tiles spelling out 'words'
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What Other Word Board Games Do You Love?

What are some of the best word board games that you’ve played or created? Are there any word card games that we are missing that you absolutely love? Let us know in the comments.

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Guessing Games for Kids

Guessing games are great to use as warmers, fillers, and review activities. Not only are they a lot of fun, but they are also fantastic for learning vocabulary and grammar.

On this page we list the 10 super fun guessing games for kids. Although these activities are mainly aimed at young learners, many of these guessing game ideas can be easily adapted to use with adults and teenagers.

For more classroom game ideas, check out our other post, 10 Incredibly Fun Vocabulary Activities For ESL Kids.

1: Guess the Word Games

Whichever topic you are teaching, a simple guess the word game, although simple, can be very effective. Show students some flashcards and ask them to repeat after you. Once students have practiced enough, choose one flashcard, and don’t show the students. Then ask them to try to guess what the word is while using the target expression.

For example, if you teaching animal words, when students guess they can ask the teacher ‘Is it an elephant?’, and the teacher can respond ‘Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.’.

2: Hidden Picture Guessing Games

ESL PowerPoint Games

In this guessing game there is a picture hidden behind some color squares. As you click the squares the image is slowly revealed and students must try to guess what it is.

This guess the picture game is a great way to introduce or review new words with students and can be used with any vocabulary. For hidden picture PPT games on many topics, and an editable template, click here.

3: Guess the Picture (Pictionary)

This simple guessing game idea needs little to no prep. All you need for this game is something to draw on. To play as a whole class, ask a student to draw something on the board from the lesson and ask students to guess what the picture is of.

To make it more fun, divide the class into two / three teams. Give each team 30 seconds or so to guess as many pictures as they can. This game is a lot of fun and young learners especially love showing off their artistic skills.

4: Guess the Mystery Object

Using real objects in the classroom is a great way to connect the vocabulary and grammar that students are learning to the real world. A great way to do that is with this guess the object game. To play, you need a bag or a box to put the mystery objects in.

Invite students one by one to come up to the front of the class and reach into the bag/box and feel the object inside. Without looking at the object, they must try to guess what the mystery object is. This can lead to some hilarious guesses! This activity is great for both kids and older ESL students.

5: Online Guessing Games

In these online guessing games, students must use ‘Telepathy’ to read the teacher’s mind and find out the answer. Of course, your students can’t really read minds, but kids love pretending that they can.

In these guessing games each answer as two possible answers and students must choose ONE and write it down. If they get it correct, they get a point. If they get it wrong, they don’t. Many online guessing games can be found on our Activity Videos page.

This game can be played individually or in pairs / small teams. For a Telepathy game PPT template, and a printable answer worksheet, click here.

6: ‘I Spy’ Guessing Games

When you were a child you probably played a variation of this game at one time or another. In the classic (British) version of I Spy, one person would look around and choose an object that they can see and then say ‘I spy with my little eye something beginning with (b).’. At which point the other people must try to guess what object beginning with the letter b he/she is thinking of.

This kind of guessing game can be used in your English class to review many different words and topics. For example, if teaching colors, one student can look around and choose an object and then say ‘I see something (green)’. The other students must then guess what green thing they are thinking of.

Or, if you are teaching adjectives, one student can look around and choose something and then describe it using adjectives. For example, ‘I see something big and heavy.’.

7: ‘Act It Out’ Guessing Game (Charades)

In the classic version of charades people would use actions instead of words to act out the title of a movie, book, play, or song. In the English classroom, this kind of activity can be used to review key vocabulary and expressions that students have learned.

To play, write down the key words / phrases from the lesson on pieces of paper and put them all in a small container. Then divide the class into 2/3 teams. One person from each team will choose a piece of paper and act out the word without speaking or making any noise. If the team guesses correctly, then they get a point.

8: Guess The Word To ‘Save The Teacher’ (Hangman)

Hangman is a classic classroom game in which students must try to guess the word the teacher is thinking of by guessing letters of the alphabet. If students guess the wrong word then the teacher would begin drawing a picture of a hanging man. If students get it wrong too many times and the teacher completes the picture, then the students lose.

Although this drawing is just a simple stick figure, the idea of showing children a drawing of a man hanging from his neck seems quite gruesome to me, and not appropriate for kids. As a fun alternative to hangman, try ‘Save The Teacher’ using the video above. The rules are exactly the same as hangman.

To play, think of a word and draw a small horizontal line corresponding to each letter of that word. Then ask students to guess the word by first guessing letters from the alphabet. If they guess correctly, then write it in the correct space on the board. If students guess wrong play the video and the fuse will get closer to the rocket. When students guess wrong too many times, the teacher and the rocket will blast off into space!

9: ‘What Am I?’ Guessing Game

In this guessing game, the teacher would think of something and then give students 3 clues as to what it is by saying sentences as if he/she is the object. For example, if the word the teacher is thinking of is ‘The Sun’ then the 3 clues he/she might say “I am hot. I am bright. You can’t see me at night. What am I?” This is a great way to reinforce students’ understanding of the lesson’s vocabulary and a fun review activity. For more ‘What am I? quizzes check out these ’40 What Am I?’ questions.

10: Guessing Games With Cards

Most ESL textbooks these days come with small word/picture cards at the back. If you’re not so lucky, you can download and print free mini-flashcards from our flashcards page. To play this game, ask students to make groups of 3/4. Then give each group a set of cards. Then one student from each group should close their eyes while the other members of the group point to one of the cards.

Then the student should open his/her eyes and guess what card they chose while using the target language. If he/she guesses correctly then they can keep that card. Then it’s the next students turn. The game finishes when all the cards are gone and the students with the most cards is the winner.

Thanks for reading. I hope you found some useful guessing game ideas for your next class. Before you go, don’t forget to check out our free other free games and activities including PowerPoint Games, Online Quizzes, and Online ESL Games.

ESL board games are a great way to get your students using new language. They are fantastic to allow freer practice of targeted grammar structures but also to allow more realistic use of language through conversation.

We have created a growing number of online interactive board games that can be used in online classes or in class on interactive whiteboards to allow students to play games in groups or as a class while saving on paper and preparation time.

These interactive board games are ideal to play on online zoom classes. To do so, first open the game you would like to play in your browser. Then in Zoom just click the “Share screen” button and select to share your browser or share your desktop. Students can play in pairs or individually. For larger groups share the URL with students and let them play in breakout rooms.

Grammar Board Games

Articles – a, an, the – Practice using articles

Can and Can’t – Practice speaking about ability with this board game.

Comparatives and Superlatives – Practice forming comparative and superlative sentences.

First Conditional First conditional board game where students finish the sentences.

First and Second Conditional – Practice first and second conditional with this speaking board game.

Gerunds and Infinitives – Practice gerunds and infinitives with this speaking activity.

How often do you…? – Practice adverbs of frequency and question forming using this interactive board game.

Imperatives / Orders – Practice imperatives with this board game.

Irregular Verbs – Practice common irregular verbs 

Present continuous – Practice the present continuous with this board game where students form sentences using pictures as prompts.

Present Simple – Practice the present simple with this speaking focused board game.

Past Simple Regular Verbs – Practice spelling of regular verbs with this interactive board game.

Present Perfect – Practice the present perfect with this speaking focused board game.

Relative Clauses – Practice relative clauses with this speaking focused board game.

Ordinal Numbers – Practice ordinal numbers with this board game.

Past Simple – Practice the past simple with this speaking board game.

Should / Shouldn’t – Practice giving advice using should/shouldn’t

Superlatives – Practice speaking using superlatives with this game.

Time Preposition – in, on at – Practice time prepositions 

Used to – Practice speaking about when students were younger

What are you going to do tomorrow? – Practice going to for future plans.

Board games by themes

All About You – Get to know your students with this fun icebreaker board game.

Alphabet – Practice the alphabet with the young learner with this interactive board game.

Animals – Practice vocabulary related to animals with this game. Ideal for B1+ (lower intermediate+)

Body Parts – Practice body parts vocabulary.

Clothes and Fashion – Practice speaking about clothes and fashion. (Intermediate and above)

Family – Practice family members with this board game.

Food – Practice speaking about food and food vocabulary.

My Favourite – Practice speaking using “My favourite ___ is …”

Sports – Talk about sports and sports equipment.

Shopping – Discuss shopping with this board game for B1/B2.

Travel – Discuss questions around the topic of travel. Ideal for students Lower intermediate and above B1+

Weather – Practice saying what the weather is like with this fun board game.

What time is it? – Practice telling the time.

Word Formation Board Games

FCE
Word Formation Board Game #1 – Simple pre-made game to practice word formation word FCE level students.

Word Formation Board Game #2 – Simple pre-made game to practice word formation word FCE level students.

Checkers / Draughts Board Games

Irregular Verbs – Practice irregular verbs with this fun interactive game of checkers.

Ludo Board Game

Irregular Verbs Ludo – Practice the most common irregular verbs with this interactive game of Ludo. This can be played with 2 players or more. Students move their pieces around the board while saying and writing the irregular verbs on the board.

Young Learner Board Games

All About My Day – This board game is a fun way to start your class by getting students to talk about their day.

Alphabet – Practice the alphabet with the young learner with this interactive board game.

Animals – Practice animals with this board game.

Clothes – Practice clothes and accessories vocabulary with this board game.

Colours – Practice saying colours.

Daily Routines – Practice daily routines with this interactive board game.

Days of the Week – Practice days of the week with this board game.

Days and Months – Practice days and the months.

Family – Practice family members with this board game.

Going to – Practice going to for future plans.

House and Furniture – Practice vocabulary and speaking with this board game. 

Halloween Board Game – Practice Halloween vocabulary and speaking.

Sports – Talk about sports and sports equipment.

Irregular Verbs – Practice common irregular verbs 

Jobs – Practice common jobs with this board game.

My Favourite – Practice speaking using “My favourite ___ is …”

Ordinal Numbers – Practice ordinal numbers with this board game.

Transport – Practice different types of transport with this game.

Weather – Practice saying what the weather is like with this fun board game.

What time is it? – Practice telling the time.

Holiday Board Games

Halloween Board Game – This interactive board game is a great way to review vocabulary and practice speaking with young learners.

Easter – Practice speaking about Easter with this board game.. (Young Learners Pre-A1 +)

St Patrick’s Day – Talk about St Patrick’s Day

Valentine’s Day – Use this board game to talk about Valentine’s Day. B1+

Maths Board Games

Division – Practice division with this fun maths board game.

Last updated: 3/3/2023

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Are you looking for the best word board games to play at home when you have some free time?

Well, there are plenty of options out there, and this article includes the best of them.

So, if you usually like to play with words, you will love this list. Keep reading.

Word Board Games – the Classic Ones

First, let’s look at the word board games that come with a classic approach. These games will surely bring back those sweet memories of your younger age.

Let’s take a look at these awesome, sentimental word board games.

PS: if you are looking for the best board game apps, these guides are just for you.

01. Boggle

Boggle Word Board Games

Setting a timer, shaking the letters, and seeing where they fall will help you improve your Boggle skills. That is true even if your brain doesn’t operate that way.

Before the timer runs out, try to come up with as many four-letter words as possible. Because Super Boggle can be a little larger, each game lasts for three minutes instead of the usual two. This, of course, can surely be rated as one of the best word board games.

Besides, if you are looking for an awesome Chinese gambling game, we have it covered in this article.

02. Scrabble

Scrabble

Scrabble is a popular, classic-type word board game suitable for players aged 8 and above. To score points, players use letter tiles to form words.

03. Bananagrams

Bananagrams Word Board Games

Bananagrams, just like the name suggests, is an interesting word game similar to Scrabble. This game can be experienced and enjoyed by all members of the household with ease.

It’s all about spelling in this game as players try to create puzzle word grids. Games like Bananagrams are excellent word board games to take on the road since it’s small and lightweight.

04. Hangman

Hangman

Something about Hangman seems a little risqué these days, to be honest. Magnetic Hangman can be considered great for traveling since it’s small as well as portable.

You can even pick up a pen and paper or chalk and a blackboard and start playing. That’s particularly if you like to play with an old-school method.

05. Scattergories

Scattergories Word Board Games

Scattergories are one of the all-time favorites of many adults during their childhood. And this should be in every home.

Fill in sections just using words that begin with the letter you roll on the dice for. The better it is if it’s one of a kind and lengthy.

06. Mad Libs

Mad Libs

In the 1990s, Mad Libs, in fact, were all the rage. Perhaps, you will not consider them a “board game.” However, they are a good way for budding writers to practice their vocabulary easily.

If you have a half-written narrative, take out a pen and finish it off. An adjective, a noun, or something somewhat more specific is requested for each blank. Have fun with it! Your story doesn’t have to be serious and realistic to be entertaining.


Best Word Board Games that Have Similarities with Scrabble

Now that we know some of the best classic word board games. Let’s learn about games like Scrabble too. Mentioned below is a good list of word games that are similar to Scrabble.

01. Dabble

Dabble Word Board Games

Dabble is a fun word game for the whole family. Players compete in spelling five words out of a possible 20 using all 20 tiles.

This word-making game may be played by two to four people and is excellent for improving one’s spelling. It will also improve the vocabulary of the players.

02. Quiddler

Quiddler

Quiddler is a fast-paced game for 1–10 players in which players must form short phrases. To do that, they should use the letter cards they have in their hands.

Players take on additional cards as the round progresses. Moreover, the one with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

03. Upwords

Upwords Word Board Games

Similar to the game “Scrabble,” Upwords allows players to construct words on already existing ones. More points are awarded for greater letter stacks. 2-4 players, 8+, are required to play Upwords.

04. I’m the winner

I'm the winner

Make a specific word out of the upside-down tiles in the middle of the table first. You should, however, be wary of other players adding his or her own letters to your phrase.

And those are the most impressive word board games similar to Scrabble.


Word Board Games that Are Ideal to Be Played As a Family

There are some great word board games that can be played together as a family. If you want to learn about the best word board games that fall into that category, keep reading.

01. Super Big Boggle

Super Big Boggle

This game is one of several variations on the classic word game called “Boggle.” Think about it as a 66 version of Boggle. The players must come up with as many terms as possible in six minutes.

02. The Pen Is In Your Hands

The Pen Is In Your Hands Word Board Games

For families, this game is fast-paced, enjoyable, and involves both words and art. After a 10-second countdown, you have to create an image, and everyone else has to predict what it is. Points are awarded for accurate guesses. If you don’t, the pen goes to the next person.

03. Crazy Letters

Crazy Letters

This is a family-friendly game based on words for school-aged children (10+) that is less well-known. Is it possible to decipher a word with its characters reversed? Words may be simple or difficult, depending on their difficulty level.

04. The Final Letter

The Final Letter Word Board Games

All players must come up with a term that describes what is shown on their cards. To begin, the first letter of the new phrase must be taken from the previous phrase’s last letter. 

You don’t keep the card if you yell out your word first. The winner is determined by who can get rid of their cards the fastest.

05. Word A Round

Word A Round

This is a critically acclaimed and family-friendly board game. A continuous ring of words surrounds the image. To win, players must find the beginning of the word. They also should become the first to recite it to the other players.

06. Danger World

Danger World Word Board Games

Danger Word, the show hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, is suitable for viewers aged ten and above. However, the card is lost if you pronounce the danger word instead of the winning word.

07. It’s in the Bag

It's in the Bag

Do you like word board games with charades & Pictionary? If so, you should give “It’s In The Bag” a try. All three rounds consist of one-word descriptions followed by an act-out of the description.

08. Blank Slate

Blank Slate Word Board Games

Blank Slate is a word predicting board game that asks players to guess what the other players are thinking. Complete the sentence with a word and gain points if your word matches the one used by others.


Best Word Board Games that Are Suitable for Teens and Adults

Are you looking for the best word board games that are suitable for teens and adults? If that’s the case, mentioned below are the best games you can think of.

01. 4-Bidden Words

4-Bidden Words

Suitable for players aged 17 and above, players fight against the clock to predict the Buzz Word. Also, they should avoid any of the 4-Bidden Words’ prohibited word combinations.

This guessing word game for adults is ideal for celebrations such as family reunions and birthday parties.

02. Balderdash

Balderdash Word Board Games

There’s something for everyone in Balderdash: teens, adults, and young adults. The categories include famous individuals, initials, words, movies, players, and laws. Choose one by rolling the dice.

As per the game, one person enters the accurate answer. After that, another person puts down what they believe to be the true definition or explanation. A popular vote amongst the players determines the correct response.

03. Codenames

Codenames

Codenames is an up-to-date, communal word game for players 14 and above. It works best with four players. Teams fight to be the first to contact all of their hidden spies. One-word hints from spymasters point to several words just on board.

Members of the same team must avoid guessing the meaning of each other’s statements. Be careful not to attract the assassin’s attention.

04. Taboo

Taboo Word Board Games

For those aged 13 and above, Taboo is a time-honored word game. This is a favorite of ours to perform over the winter holidays. Use the clues to deduce the word’s meaning while avoiding using the banned phrase.

For those of you who are 17 and above, this is the competition for you. What Kind of Stuff Do You Meme for Fun? Well, it is a fun new adult-only word game that’s guaranteed to have you laughing. Expansion packs are also available for purchase.

Are you stuck inside on a wet day and don’t know what to do? Consider pinning these word-themed games for later.


Honorable mentions

Here are some other best word board games you can try.

01. Tapple

Tapple

Playing Tapple will test your word-finding skills. It’s one of the 10 finest word board games out there. When playing Scrabble becomes tedious due to the slowness of the game, switch to Words with Friends.

Scattergories and Tapple are both games of the same genre. If a word begins with a certain letter, that letter is immediately dropped from the game’s alphabet. After then, it’s the turn of someone else.

Assume that the first participant has to identify a fruit & she says “apple.” Then, no one else may use words that begin with the letter “a” for the remainder of the game. As letters are removed, the game grows more difficult to play.

02. Pairs in Pears

Pairs in Pears Word Board Games

The same people both produce Bananagrams and Pairs in Pears, and they’re both a lot of fun. It’s packaged in a nice fruit bag, similar to Bananagrams.

Also, it encourages wordplay that is good for whatever you are doing with it. As implied by the game’s name, the objective is to match up two crossing words.

When two words cross, the first word would be read from right to left. Then, the second word would be read vertically. They’d appear as crossword puzzle words since they share a letter.

Pairs in Pears allows youngsters as younger as seven to utilize short words with just three letters. Like Bananagrams, it’s easy to carry along because of the compact pieces and handy pouch. Just watch out for those in the trunk!

03. Mad Gab

Mad Gab

In terms of word games, this is a real outlier. To begin, one selects a card that seems to be a jumble of non sequitur. The word should not make any logical sense. To decipher the hidden message, pronounce the phrases out loud.

This is a fantastic party game. Age-wise, Mad Gab is best suited to youngsters who are proficient readers. Since each card works as a puzzle, there’s a countdown ticking down the left.

So, Mad Gab is definitely best suited for kids who aren’t often discouraged by tight deadlines or difficult assignments. On the other hand, this game should be a hit with adults.


So, those are the best word board games we can mention. Do you have any other word board games to include in this list? Please let us know.

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