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Bingo cardsYour own words

Bingo card generator

Type a list of words, one per line, and the page shuffles them into bingo cards that are all different. It suits parties, classrooms and clubs that want bingo built around their own topic.

By Paul Gunder. Free to print for home, classroom and office use; see how our printables are made.

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Your detailsOptional. Empty fields print as lines to write on.
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Card size
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1 to 12
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Bingo2 pages · US Letter

Live preview
BingoMark each square when it is called. Five in a row across, down or diagonally wins.BINGOconfettipizzasnackscakepartyhatsurprisegoodybagfriendssingingwhistlelaughterlemonadeFREEicecreamstreamersgamespinataphotosthankyoupresentspopcornsprinklescandlesbannerwrappingpaperBINGOballoonscookiesconfettifriendspopcornpinatasnacksstreamerscakepartyhatcandlespizzaFREEsprinklespresentsthankyoulemonadeinvitationsingingcupcakesdancingwrappingpapergoodybaglaughtersurprisePrintablePal.com · free printable puzzlesBingo · page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
BingoMark each square when it is called. Five in a row across, down or diagonally wins.BINGOlaughterbannersprinklespopcornballoonssnacksinvitationmusicsingingcookieswrappingpapergamesFREEthankyougoodybagicecreamcandlescupcakescakepinataconfettistreamersphotosdancingpizzaBINGOsprinklessnacksmusicthankyoustreamerscandlesicecreampopcorninvitationdancingwrappingpaperlaughterFREEbannerlemonadeconfettiballoonsphotoswhistlecookiescupcakespinatagamessurprisefriendsPrintablePal.com · free printable puzzlesBingo · page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2

On this page

Bingo works with any set of words, as long as you have enough to give each card its own mix. This page takes your list and deals out cards, with no answer key because the caller reads from the same list.

What prints

The sheet opens with a sample birthday-party list typed in, on the "My own words" card type. The title is "Bingo" unless you type your own in the Title box (up to 32 characters). Under it comes a rule line saying squares are marked as they are called, and a line of five wins in any direction (a full line on smaller cards). On a 5 × 5 card the top row shows the letters B, I, N, G, O in shaded boxes. Smaller cards have no letter row. There is no name or date line.

Each card draws its words at random from your list and prints them centered in the squares, wrapped onto two lines if they are long. Words keep their spaces, so "ice cream" stays as one square.

The settings

  • Title (optional): a heading for the cards, such as Class Party Bingo, limited to 32 characters.
  • Card type: this page opens on My own words; the alternatives are numbers, theme words and sight words.
  • Your words, one per line (at least 24): shown for My own words. Each line is cut at 24 characters, and repeats are dropped.
  • Card size: three grids, with 5 × 5 chosen at first and 3 × 3 or 4 × 4 for shorter games.
  • Cards per page: a choice of 1, 2 or 4, with 2 selected.
  • Pages of cards (each card is different): 1 to 12. It opens on 2.
  • Free space in the middle: a toggle that only applies to the 3 × 3 and 5 × 5 sizes, which have a middle square.

With 4 cards on 12 pages you get 48 cards. The number of words you need depends on the size: a 5 × 5 card with a free space needs 24, without one 25, a 4 × 4 card needs 16 and a 3 × 3 card needs 8 (9 with no free space). If your list is too short, the instruction line changes to tell you how many more words to add.

Tips for a good list

Aim for more words than the card has squares. If you give exactly 24 words for a 5 × 5 card, every card will hold the same words in a different order, and bingos will come up all at once. With 40 words, the cards differ much more. Keep the entries short enough to fit in a square. Spell-check before you print, since the generator uses the words just as you typed them.

For the caller, print the list or cut it into slips and draw one at a time. Keep them in a bowl and set aside those already called, so you can check a winning card.

Worked example: a retirement party

Joan types 32 words about her coworker, such as "stapler", "spreadsheet", "coffee run", "lunch meeting", "Friday", and the title "Dana's Retirement Bingo". She keeps 5 × 5, leaves the free space on, sets Cards per page to 4 and Pages of cards to 3, and prints 12 cards. She prints the list again as the caller's sheet. During the party, the guests mark a square whenever Dana says one of the phrases in conversation, with the person who completes a line first winning a small prize.

For ready-made word lists, try Christmas bingo or Halloween bingo. A card with numbers is on the printable bingo cards page.

Sources

  1. NRICH, University of Cambridge: Probability problems and tools nrich.maths.org