Word search puzzles offer students the opportunity to practice a wide range of language arts skills.

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Word search puzzles are letter and word focused activities that provide students with a sea of letters arranged up and down. Hidden within that sea of letters are words that are usually centered on a theme or are provided in a word bank. One of the best strategies for attacking these puzzles is to look for common vowel and consonant pairings. These will often lead you to the bigger words that are attached to them. Often these pairs are found at the end of the words and will help you position the word as a whole. If you view the puzzle from the bottom up, often words will call out to you. I also find talking out loud to myself to be very helpful for locating words.

Word searches have a great range of benefits for students. The obviously help improve selling skills and boost your memory by activating your mental vocabulary. These types of puzzles encourage problem solving and strategic word semantics. If you create a competition in your class, I find that students improve their motivation levels greatly. Below you will find a huge offering of printable word search puzzle worksheets.

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Printable Word Search Worksheets

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First Grade Puzzle

Find the words in the word search. Write them on the lines.

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Second Grade Search

It all builds of the word "similar".

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Third Grade

Remember that words can be cut off here.

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Fourth Grade

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Fifth Grade

This is a real heroic setup for students.

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Sixth Grade

Don't keep them in suspense.

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Seventh Grade

Can you believe that "relinquish" is a 7th grade term?

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Eighth Grade

Try to be significant with your choices here.

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9th Grade

Hint: Don't sabotage the right part of the puzzle.

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10th Grade

Hint: The bottom of the puzzle may constituent another look.

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11th Grade

I would start with the words that end in -ous and build off of that.

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12th Grade

Hint: the bottom of this puzzle is really enervating.

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Elementary School Vocabulary Words

These are simpler, but not easy word to find in the puzzle matrix.

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Middle School

I would recommend circling the words instead of highlighting them, it makes it clearer to read.

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High School Vocabulary

Did you know the inventor of the Rubik's Cube did not set out to build a puzzle?

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First Grade

Enigmatology is the study of puzzles.

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Second Grade

One of the best selling items during the Great Depression period was jigsaw puzzles.

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Third Grade

People once thought that crossword puzzles would contribute to illiteracy.

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Fourth Grade

Did you know that the guy that wrote Alice in Wonderland also invented word ladder puzzles?

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Fifth Grade

Here is one that makes me shake my head: People that collective enjor crossword puzzles are called "cruciverbalists".

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Sixth Grade

The first printed word puzzle was created in 1913.

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Seventh Grade

Crosswords were used in World War I to send decoded messages.

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Eight Grade

Love crosswords? There is a national tournament that offers a $5,000 cash prize.

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9th Grade

It funny that most of the words at this level are also important in Science.

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10th Grade Vocabulary

Word puzzles were found in the ruins of Pompeii.

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11th Grade

The phrase "to puzzle" has been around longer than the word "puzzle". That's puzzling!

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12th Grade

Did you know that Jigsaw puzzles were invented by geographers?

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Elementary School Vocabulary Words

These words are not that easy to find.

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Middle School Vocabulary

A very nice mix of words that may take you more time to find than you think.

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High School Vocabulary

Words at this level are never easy to find.

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Literary Terms

A dramatic device in which a character makes a short speech intended for the audience but not heard by other characters on the stage.

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Vocabulary Word Search

Find the words in the Word Search the match the definitions.

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Vocabulary Word Search

Find the words in the Word Search the match the definitions.

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Describing People

Terms that apply mostly to people.

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What Is This One?

To publicly criticize using irony or sarcasm.

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Start With Definitions

Example: to make amends for a wrong, usually by paying money.

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Would You Believe Me?

Some words that you need to see to believe.

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The Puzzling Puzzle

What is this one?: a perplexing or seemingly unexplainable matter.

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Throw Me Off?

Example: that which seems to be with someone from birth.

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Literary Terms Word Search

When the reader knows something that the character doesn't.

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Mixed Bag

Three Examples: 1) to disparage, to speak badly of 2) showing favoritism towards family 3) to prove something wrong or false

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Not My Favorite Words

Examples: 1) Deserving blame; wrong 2)arrogant and overbearing

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That's a Mouthful

Examples: 1) contemptuously proud 2) to weaken, to drain energy 3) an overabundance 4) an original that serves as a model

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Tough Crowd

Examples: 1) To exclude someone from a social group by general consent. 2) To use ambiguous language to conceal the truth

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Cooking Terms

Examples: 1) To cut a very thin layer of peel from fruits or vegetables. 2) To heat liquid to simmering point. 3) To make very thin, straight cuts into the surface of a food.

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In the Kitchen

Examples: 1) To combine two mixtures by gently cutting down through the mixture, across the bottom, and turning over near the surface 2) To work dough by pressing and folding until it becomes smooth and elastic

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Poetic Devices Word Search

Examples: 1) Repetition of a sequence of two or more consonants, with a change in the intervening vowel 2) When the end of a sentence or clause coincides with the end of a line, creating a logical pause at its close

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Improving Words

p>Examples: 1) a state of success or wealth 2) the act of making something better; improvement

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Fun Puzzle

Examples: 1) making a hole in something with a revolving tool 2) more than enough; plenty

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Things People Do

Examples: 1) encourage or promote 2) someone who has committed a crime or done something bad

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Fear the Words

Examples: 1) spaces at the top of a wall for shooting through 2) a window that opens like a door

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It's Out There!

Examples: 1) to restrain from killing, injuring, or distressing 2) with respect to, concerning

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By All Means

Examples: 1) successful, authoritative, and commanding great respect 2) well-meaning and kindly

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Where It Goes

Examples: 1) compete eagerly with someone in order to do or achieve something 2) being at or happening at the end of a process

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Sharing Language Puzzle

Examples: 1) A phrase, line, or lines repeated at intervals during a poem, especially at the close of stanzas 2) The repetition of sounds at the end of words

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Growing Search

Examples: 1) to develop gradually, especially from a simple to a more complex form 2) a title or brief explanation that accompanies a picture

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Encouraging Search

Examples: 1) a display of sustained appreciation from an audience; applause 2) to exchange goods or services for other goods or services without using money

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A Bunch and a Little.

Examples: 1) a part or element of a larger whole 2) to search blindly or uncertainly with the hands

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These Are Pains

Examples: 1) a long, angry speech of criticism or accusation 2) to have a long or complicated dispute

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Cast Away Puzzle

Examples: 1) send off to a destination or for a purpose 2) a long or distinct period of history with a defining characteristic

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