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Word searches30 themes

Printable word search

Pick a theme from a list of 30 and the page builds a fresh word search with a word bank and an answer key. It is for anyone who wants a ready puzzle without typing a word list first.

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

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Animals Word Search2 pages, answer key from page 2 · US Letter

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NameDateScoreAnimals Word SearchFind the 16 words hidden across, down and diagonally. Circle each one and tick it off the list.RHSULDJGPDRBHYMEHIPPOPOTAMUSBFPDJECNKOYHSRPNTUIGMOMSCINJLURTPKOALAAGUNCGELURDAKFMUORIRTGDYMRTNEIJTJWOLVERINELRNSDRTCDOIMPJKAOYFOIROEDOLPHINGPIGMGDEJGPLMIYKYEWKCIREWYDGSKARMADILLOLRKIGNPGBWEZEBRAWTARMADILLOCAMELCROCODILEDEERDOGDOLPHINELEPHANTFROGGOATHIPPOPOTAMUSKOALALIONPIGTIGERWOLVERINEZEBRAPrintablePal.com · free printable puzzlesAnimals Word Search
Worksheet, page 1
Animals Word Search: answer keyRHSULDJGPDRBHYMEHIPPOPOTAMUSBFPDJECNKOYHSRPNTUIGMOMSCINJLURTPKOALAAGUNCGELURDAKFMUORIRTGDYMRTNEIJTJWOLVERINELRNSDRTCDOIMPJKAOYFOIROEDOLPHINGPIGMGDEJGPLMIYKYEWKCIREWYDGSKARMADILLOLRKIGNPGBWEZEBRAWTARMADILLOCAMELCROCODILEDEERDOGDOLPHINELEPHANTFROGGOATHIPPOPOTAMUSKOALALIONPIGTIGERWOLVERINEZEBRAPrintablePal.com · free printable puzzlesAnswer key
Answer key, page 1

On this page

This is the general-purpose word search. Choose a subject, choose how hard it should be, and print. It opens on Animals at Medium level, and each press of the "New puzzle" button reshuffles which words are used and where they hide.

What prints

The first page has the title (for example "Animals Word Search"), a one-line instruction telling you how many words to find and which directions they run, a letter grid in a thin frame, and a word bank under it. The bank is alphabetical, set in columns, and each word has a small box beside it. Page two is the solution sheet, where each hidden word is ringed and bold, and the rest of the grid fades.

Each theme has 32 words, and the sheet draws a subset: 10 words on Easy, 16 on Medium and 22 on Hard. That means you can press "New puzzle" several times and get different word mixes from the same theme.

The settings

  • Title (optional) replaces the theme-based heading, 40 characters at most.
  • Theme offers 30 subjects, including Animals, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Ocean, Space and Planets, Weather, Human Body, Dinosaurs, Food, Sports, US States, Countries, Math Words, Science Words, Bible and Music, plus "My own words".
  • Difficulty: Easy runs 10 × 10 with words across and down only; Medium is 14 × 14 with diagonals; Hard is 17 × 17 with backwards words.
  • Large print gives bigger letters, a 12 × 12 grid at most and no more than 12 words.
  • Lowercase letters swaps capitals for small letters.

Choosing a level

Easy leaves out any word longer than eight letters, so the list stays friendly for early readers. Medium is a good default for a mixed group, since diagonal words take a moment longer to spot. Hard puts words in reverse and upward directions, which is what experienced solvers tend to want. When a group has mixed ability, print two levels of the same theme and hand them out without comment.

Worked example: a rainy-day sheet for two cousins

Marcus has an eight-year-old and a twelve-year-old at his house for the afternoon. He picks the Ocean theme and prints two copies, one on Easy and one on Hard. The younger cousin gets a 10 × 10 grid with 10 short words such as crab, reef and whale. The older one gets a 17 × 17 grid with 22 words, many of them running backwards, including longer names like jellyfish. Neither sheet looks different from afar, and both come with their own answer key page, so Marcus can check the finds without searching himself.

For something with hints, try the printable crossword puzzles in the same themes, or the word scramble. The easy word search page is the shortcut for younger children.

Sources

  1. Reading Rockets: reading and writing resources for teachers and parents readingrockets.org