Word
Search Maker
Create your own custom word search worksheets! A variety of options
are available including font size, font style, lowercase or uppercase
letters, grid shape, word placement, and more.
Experiment with the settings below to find the best results for
printing. You may also need to adjust your browser’s page setup (change
margins, header/footer, or switch to landscape/portrait mode), then
go to ‘Print Preview’ before printing. These options are under your
browser’s File menu. Landscape mode works best for many puzzles.
Also, set your margins to 0.5″ or less.
Before you create your puzzle, you might also
want to highlight your word list and press Ctrl+C to keep a copy
of it on your computer’s clipboard. That way, if you need to come
back and change settings, you can paste the words into the blank
by pressing Ctrl+V. Otherwise you’ll have to re-type them.
(These
shortcut
commands work on Windows systems.)
PLEASE NOTE: If you are concerned about inappropriate words in the randomized letters, be sure to proofread before handing out to students.
Puzzle Creator: (example: Mrs. Jones)
Enter your word list in the box below.
- Use a comma or press enter between words.
- Minimum word length: 3 letters
- Maximum word length: 16 letters
- Recommended number of words: 20
Level — Intermediate
· 18 x 12 grid
· Words hidden across, down, and diagonally
· No backwards words
· Medium font size
· Recommended for grades 2 — 4
Please note:
- There may be a limit to the number and lengths of words hidden. If you have too many words or your words are too long, they may be left out of the puzzle. Please check your puzzle carefully to make sure all of your words are there.
- Our word search generator uses a basic word filter to prevent the accidental, random creation of offensive words. When you create your puzzle, please check it over it carefully to be sure unintended words were not added by our random letter generator.
STW members are able to save their worksheets. You are not currently logged in and will not be able to save this file.
Sample Word Search Puzzle Generator Images
Below are two examples of beginner and intermediate Word Searches! The Word Search Maker creates the puzzle page as well as a solution page.
Use the word processor’s search function to locate text and more
Updated on December 15, 2020
What to Know
- Basic word search: Go to the Home tab. Select Find and enter the text for the search.
- Advanced search: Go to Home > Find. Choose the search drop-down arrow. Select Options and select your criteria.
This article explains how to search for text in Microsoft Word. The information applies to Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, Word Online, and Word for Microsoft 365.
How to Do a Basic Word Search in MS Word
Microsoft Word includes a search function that makes it easy to search for different elements in a document, including text. Use the basic tool to look for instances of a specific word, or the advanced options to perform tasks such as replace all instances of a word with another one or search for equations.
To run a basic search for a specific word or phrase in Word:
-
Go to the Home tab and select Find, or press Ctrl+F.
In older versions of Microsoft Word, select File > File Search.
-
In the Navigation pane, enter the text you want to search for. A list of matching words displays in the Navigation pane and instances of the word are highlighted in the main document.
-
Cycle through the results in the Navigation pane in one of three ways:
- Press Enter to move to the next result.
- Select a result with the mouse.
- Select the Up and Down arrows to move to the previous or next result.
-
Make any changes or edits to the document as needed.
-
Select the Down arrow to move to the next instance of the word.
Match Case, Whole Words Only, and More
Beyond searching for every instance of a word, you can get more specific about what you want to find. For example, to find whole instances of a word and not every word that contains the letter combination or to find instances of a word that aren’t capitalized.
Here’s how to do an advanced search:
-
Select Home > Find.
-
In the Navigation pane, select the Search drop-down arrow.
-
Choose Options.
-
In the Find Options dialog box, choose the description that best fits what you’re trying to find. For example, to find instances of a word with the same capitalization, select Match case.
-
Select OK.
Use Advanced Find
Many of the choices available in the Find Options dialog box are also available in Advanced Find. Advanced Find includes the option to replace the text with something new. Based on your selection, Word replaces one instance or all instances at once. You can also replace the formatting, or change the language, paragraph, and tab settings.
Find Instances of Other Elements
Other options in the Navigation pane include searching for equations, tables, graphics, footnotes, endnotes, and comments.
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Looking for text in your document? The Find pane helps you find characters, words, and phrases. If you want, you can also replace it with different text.
If you’re in Reading View, switch to Editing View by clicking Edit Document > Edit in Word Web App.
To open the Find pane from the Edit View, press Ctrl+F, or click Home > Find.
Find text by typing it in the Search the document for… box. Word Web App starts searching as soon as you start typing. To further narrow the search results, click the magnifying glass and select one or both of the search options.
Tip: If you don’t see the magnifying glass, click the X at the end of the Search the document for… box. The magnifying glass reappears.
When you type in your document or make a change, Word Web App pauses the search and clears the Find pane. To see the results again, click the Next Search Result or Previous Search Result arrow.
When you’re done searching, click the X at the end of the Search the document for… box.
Need more help?
Make your own word search puzzles with the Word Search Maker! This easy-to-use tool allows you to provide your own word list and create custom word searches in minutes. You can then download and print them instantly, or play online the pre-made puzzles right away. So get creative and have some fun!
How do you create custom Word Search Puzzles?
It’s easy! Just provide your word list and the Word Search Maker will create a puzzle for you.
- Enter your words into the text box provided. Make sure to add no more than 30 words.
- Select the theme or topics of your word search.
- Words should only include letters from a-z – uppercase or lowercase. You can use space and dash but these will be omitted while searching for your word search.
- Make sure not to use any personal information if you want your puzzles added to our database.
- When you are ready, click on “Regenerate” and the word search will be generated for you.
- If you want to download and print your word search puzzle, just click on “Download PDF.” The word search will be downloaded as a PDF file which you can then print.
NOTE: These are randomly generated words so be sure to proofread carefully before using. You can also regenerate the puzzle with new array of words.