Word Search Maker
Build a free printable word search in seconds — with an answer key. Free, fast, and your files never leave your device.
Free for personal and classroom use. Selling or publishing these puzzles (books, worksheets, products) requires a Premium commercial licence — watermark-free downloads included.
How to use the Word Search Maker
- Type your words in the box, one word per line — up to 25. Spaces and punctuation are ignored, so "dragon fruit" becomes DRAGONFRUIT.
- Choose a grid size from 10 × 10 up to 25 × 25, then tick the directions you want: horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and backwards for an extra challenge.
- Click Generate puzzle. The tool places every word that fits, fills the rest with random letters, and lists your words below.
- Click Print puzzle + answer key to send a clean, black-and-white puzzle page and a separate answer-key page to your printer.
- Or click Download PNG to save the grid as an image for worksheets, slides, or newsletters.
Why use ZillaKit's Word Search Maker?
This word search maker is built for teachers, homeschool parents, tutors, and party planners who need a free printable puzzle without ads getting in the way of the page. Everything runs directly in your browser, so your word lists never touch a server and there is no account to create. The generator places your longest words first and then fits the rest around them, so even tight grids pack in as many words as possible; anything that genuinely cannot fit is flagged clearly rather than dropped silently. You control the difficulty by mixing directions — horizontal and vertical only for young learners, or diagonal and backwards words for older students and adults. The print output is designed to look good on paper: no dark backgrounds wasting ink, no header, no advertisements, and a separate answer-key page with every hidden word highlighted so grading takes seconds. You can also download the grid as a PNG image to drop straight into a worksheet or presentation.
FAQ
Is this word search maker really free and printable?
Yes. It is free to use, requires no signup, and the print button produces a clean black-on-white puzzle page plus a separate answer-key page, both optimized to save ink.
What happens if a word is too long for the grid?
Words longer than the grid, or words that cannot be fitted after many attempts, are listed under the puzzle as "could not be placed" so you can shorten them or choose a larger grid. The rest of the puzzle still generates normally.
How many words can I add?
Up to 25 words per puzzle. Larger grids fit more words comfortably; if you use a small grid with many long words, some may not fit and will be flagged.
Can students find words backwards or diagonally?
Only if you turn those directions on. By default words run horizontally and vertically. Tick "Diagonal" and "Backwards" to raise the difficulty for older students.
Does my word list get uploaded anywhere?
No. The entire puzzle is generated inside your browser using JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server, so your word lists stay completely private.