Word Search Maker for Printable Puzzles
Make a custom printable word search from your own vocabulary list. Preview a 12×12 puzzle, download a free PDF, or use Pro for larger grids and answer pages.
English A–Z only. Spaces and punctuation are removed; duplicate words count once. 6/8 words.
Puzzle preview
Find: PLANET · STAR · MOON · COMET · EARTH · ORBIT
Show answer coordinates
- PLANET: row 6, column 1 (diagonal down)
- COMET: row 6, column 4 (diagonal up)
- EARTH: row 10, column 8 (diagonal up)
- ORBIT: row 11, column 1 (across)
- STAR: row 1, column 1 (down)
- MOON: row 12, column 8 (across)
About Word Search Maker
A custom word search turns a week's vocabulary into a quick warm-up, review or take-home activity. Paste a list of English words, such as planet, orbit, moon and comet, and the generator builds a grid around them. It removes spaces and punctuation, de-duplicates repeated words and shows you the placements in an on-screen answer view. Words may run across, down or diagonally, so students need to scan in more than one direction. The free word search maker fits up to eight words into a 12 by 12 grid and downloads one clean letter-size PDF. Pro raises the limit to 20 words and a 20 by 20 grid, makes up to ten variations for separate groups and adds highlighted solution pages. Everything happens in your browser; the word list is not uploaded.
The short answer
Enter two or more English words, separated by commas or lines, to make a custom word search. The generator places them horizontally, vertically or diagonally in a printable grid and fills the remaining cells with letters. Download one 12 by 12 puzzle free; Pro adds larger grids, multiple versions and highlighted answer pages.
How to use Word Search Maker
- 1
Enter your words
Type two or more English words separated by commas or new lines. Spaces and punctuation are removed automatically.
- 2
Choose the grid size
The free 12 by 12 grid holds up to eight words. Pro unlocks 16 by 16 and 20 by 20 grids with up to 20 words.
- 3
Preview and print
Check the grid and answer coordinates, make another layout if needed, then download the printable PDF.
Why use this tool
- Build a custom puzzle from your own vocabulary list
- Preview the complete grid before printing
- Find words across, down and diagonally
- Download a free US Letter PDF without signing in
- Pro includes bigger grids, batch variations and highlighted solutions
Frequently asked questions
How can I make my own word search for free?
Enter 2 to 8 words, keep each word at most 12 letters long, and download one 12 by 12 puzzle PDF. You can regenerate the layout as often as you like.
Can I get a word search answer key?
The free page shows each hidden word's start row, column and direction. Pro can append highlighted answer pages to the downloaded PDF for easy marking.
Can my puzzle include phrases or spaces?
Yes. Spaces and punctuation are removed before placing a phrase in the grid. For example, 'solar system' becomes SOLARSYSTEM. The tool currently supports only English A–Z letters.
Where can words be hidden?
Words can run left to right, top to bottom, diagonally down or diagonally up. They are not placed backwards in the current generator.
Can I make different puzzles from the same words?
Yes. New layout changes the letter grid and word placements. Pro can create up to ten variations in one PDF, useful when neighbouring students need different sheets.
Will this work on A4 paper?
The PDF uses US Letter dimensions. Most A4 printers can use it by selecting fit to page in the print dialog.
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