With this word search generator you make a puzzle from your own words in a few seconds: spelling lists, the names of your class, a birthday theme, words from a lesson. Then print it, with a separate answer key if you like.

How to make a word search

Type a title, for example Farm animals or Week 5 spelling words.
Enter 2 to 40 words, one per line or separated by commas. Spaces and punctuation are ignored, so ICE CREAM becomes ICECREAM.
Choose the size, or leave it on Auto, and the difficulty: Easy puts words only across and down, Medium adds diagonals, Hard adds backwards words.
Press Create word search. Not happy with the layout? Press it again for a new arrangement of the same words.
Press Print. Tick Also print the answer key to get the solution on its own page.

Ideas for teachers and parents

Use the week's spelling words: children read each word several times while they look for it.
Make a vocabulary puzzle for a science or history lesson.
Hide the guests' names in a birthday party puzzle, or holiday words for a family gathering.

Everything happens in your browser: your words are not sent anywhere or saved on our server. Want a ready-made puzzle instead? Play a word search with 21 themes.