Skip to content
PrintablePal

Crosswords and word scrambles30 themes

Word scramble

Two columns of numbered scrambled words, each with a hint and a line to write the answer. Pick one of 30 themes or type your own words. Made for spelling practice and filler time.

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

Updated

  • Type your details or print blank
  • Answer key on its own page
  • Print or PDF, Letter or A4
  • Free, no sign-up

Fill in your form

Your detailsOptional. Empty fields print as lines to write on.
Layout
6 to 20
Paper
Paper size

What you type stays in this browser. It is never sent to us, and it is not part of a shared link.

Animals Word Scramble2 pages, answer key from page 2 · US Letter

Live preview
NameDateScoreAnimals Word ScrambleUnscramble the letters to make a word. The hint under each one helps. Write the word on the line.1.N H P I L D OClever sea mammal that clicks and whistles2.T O A GHorned animal that climbs rocks3.I R T E GBig cat with orange and black stripes4.A R A G O O N KAustralian marsupial that hops5.F L O WWild canine that howls in packs6.Z C E H A I M P E NSmart ape from Africa7.L E A M CDesert animal with humps8.O P P R U E C N IRodent covered in sharp quills9.D A P N ABlack and white bear that eats bamboo10.H N P E T E A LLarge gray animal with a trunk11.G R A E F F ITallest land animal12.O C D I C E R O LLarge reptile with powerful jaws13.E A B RLarge furry animal that hibernates in winter14.N I U G P N EFlightless bird that swims in cold seasPrintablePal.com · free printable puzzlesAnimals Word Scramble
Worksheet, page 1
Animals Word Scramble: answer key1.N H P I L D OClever sea mammal that clicks and whistlesDOLPHIN2.T O A GHorned animal that climbs rocksGOAT3.I R T E GBig cat with orange and black stripesTIGER4.A R A G O O N KAustralian marsupial that hopsKANGAROO5.F L O WWild canine that howls in packsWOLF6.Z C E H A I M P E NSmart ape from AfricaCHIMPANZEE7.L E A M CDesert animal with humpsCAMEL8.O P P R U E C N IRodent covered in sharp quillsPORCUPINE9.D A P N ABlack and white bear that eats bambooPANDA10.H N P E T E A LLarge gray animal with a trunkELEPHANT11.G R A E F F ITallest land animalGIRAFFE12.O C D I C E R O LLarge reptile with powerful jawsCROCODILE13.E A B RLarge furry animal that hibernates in winterBEAR14.N I U G P N EFlightless bird that swims in cold seasPENGUINPrintablePal.com · free printable puzzlesAnswer key
Answer key, page 1

On this page

A word scramble gives the letters of a word in the wrong order and asks the solver to put them back. It is quick to start, easy to check, and works for a single student or a whole class.

What prints

The sheet is titled with the theme, such as "Animals Word Scramble," and says: "Unscramble the letters to make a word. The hint under each one helps. Write the word on the line." Fourteen items fill two numbered columns. Each item shows the scrambled letters in bold with spaces between them, a small grey hint underneath, and a line to write on. The hint is the same clue text used on the crosswords, such as "Tallest land animal."

If the hint is turned off, items are shorter and the line follows the letters directly. With the word bank on, an alphabetical list of the answers is printed above the items. The answer key is a second page with each answer written in bold color on its line.

The settings

  • Title (optional): a heading for the sheet, 40 characters maximum.
  • Theme: any of 30 themes, opening on Animals, or "My own words" to type a list.
  • Your words, one per line: shown with your own words, up to 600 characters, first 20 usable words, three letters or more. A hint is not available for typed words.
  • Number of words: 6 through 20; the first view has 14. Themed puzzles pick words of four to ten letters.
  • Show the clue as a hint: toggle, on by default for themed lists.
  • Word bank: toggle, off by default.

Getting the right level

With hints on and the bank on, the activity is a matching task and suits early readers. With the hint on and no bank, the student has to use the clue and the letters together. With no hint and no bank, it is a pure spelling recall task that fits older students. The scrambled order is random each time and is never allowed to equal the original word, so a press of New puzzle gives a fresh set.

If you type your own list, a spelling list from the 3rd grade spelling words page is a natural source. Paste in the ten or fifteen words for the week.

Worked example: Friday spelling review

Mrs. Lindgren types her week's list into the box: "garden, pocket, planet, window, ladder, button, basket, kitten, summer, bridge, dinner, rocket". She leaves the bank off, because the students already have the list at home, and sets her title to "Week 14 Scramble". Each child gets twelve scrambled words, such as "d e r d a l" for ladder.

Students write answers on the lines, then swap papers and check against the words on the board. She keeps the key page, which has each answer in color, for the sticky ones. Students who finish early try the word search maker with the same list, since both pages take typed words.

Short on time

A scramble fits into five minutes at the start or end of a lesson, and it needs only a pencil. The IES practice guide on early reading supports short, frequent practice with letters and words.

Sources

  1. Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse: Foundational Skills to Support Reading for Understanding in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade ies.ed.gov