Word scrambles to make, print and solve

Word Scramble Generator

Type your spelling or vocabulary words and get a printable word scramble worksheet with an answer key.

The Word Scramble Generator is a free, browser-based tool that mixes up the letters of your words and turns them into a printable worksheet or an online puzzle. You can use a topic list with 52 built-in lists, or type your own words, such as a weekly spelling list, a vocabulary unit, or classmates’ names. Teachers use it as a word jumble maker for spelling practice, and it works just as well for party games and warm-ups. The tool runs entirely in your browser, so there is no account to create and nothing you type is uploaded. It works on phones, tablets, and computers, and it prints from any browser.

How to make a word scramble worksheet

  1. Choose where the words come from. Click Topic list and pick a chip, or use More lists to browse all lists. To use your own words, click My words and type into the Your words box.
  2. Enter one word or short phrase per line, or separate them with commas or semicolons. Up to 200 entries of up to 30 characters are allowed. Replace the 12 example words that appear when the page opens.
  3. Check the list of entries that could not be used. Each one is listed with its reason.
  4. Set Number of words from 5 to 40.
  5. If you chose a topic list, set Difficulty and Letters per word.
  6. Choose Mixing: Shuffle all letters or Keep first and last letter.
  7. Choose a Hint option.
  8. Open the print settings. Set the worksheet title, paper size, columns, font size, and Copies. Turn on Include an answer key page if you want answers.
  9. Click Print / Save PDF.

To solve the puzzle on screen instead, use the letter tiles, Check, Hint, and Show answer buttons. New puzzle creates a fresh scramble with the same settings, and Copy link saves every setting so the same puzzle can reopen later. Print answer key only prints just the answers.

What makes a word scramble easier or harder?

Word length and the way letters move matter most. Short words with few letters are easier to rearrange in your head, and long words with Shuffle all letters are the hardest setting.

Easier settings include fewer letters, Keep first and last letter, a first-letter hint, a word bank, and the Large font. Harder settings include long words, Shuffle all letters, no hint, and no word bank. For example, ELEPHANT shuffled fully becomes ALNHPTEE, while with Keep first and last letter it becomes ELANPEHT. With the hint “First and last letter”, it shows as e______t.

How does the tool scramble a word?

The tool follows a few fixed rules so that every scramble is useful. The scrambled letters are always different from the original word. The scramble is never another real English word made from the same letters, so HEART is never shown as EARTH.

For words of four or more letters, at most half of the letters stay in their original place when possible. Phrases such as “candy cane” are scrambled one word at a time, and the space stays where it is. For example, PLANET shuffled becomes NPTALE.

Why was one of my words skipped?

The box lists every entry that cannot be used, along with the reason. Common reasons are that the entry is too long (over 30 characters), contains characters other than letters, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes, or has fewer than 2 letters. An entry can also be skipped because it is already in the list, because you have gone over 200 entries, or because it cannot be scrambled into a different order.

If you type more words than the Number of words setting allows, the tool picks a random selection and shows the message “Using n of your m words.” A word that is not picked is not an error. Raise the number or remove some words to include it.

Can I make different versions for each student?

Yes. Set Copies to any number from 1 to 30. Each copy contains the same words in a different order with a different scramble, and each one is labelled Version 1, Version 2, and so on.

Each version has its own answer page when the answer key is turned on. Neighbours cannot copy from each other, because the answers for their version look different from yours.

How does the tool check answers when students solve online?

When someone types an answer, the tool checks it against the list word and accepts other real words that use exactly the same letters. For example, ANGLE counts as correct when the list word is ANGEL, and the message names the list word. This applies to 341 of the 1,744 single-word entries in the lists.

Words you type yourself are not checked against a dictionary. The timer starts at the first action and stops when every word is solved.

How are the words chosen from the topic lists?

The tool offers 52 lists with about 2,400 words, grouped as topics, holidays, science, kids, hard words, and spelling. Difficulty filters by length: Easy uses 3 to 5 letters, Medium uses 5 to 7, and Hard uses 8 or more. Letters per word can also require an exact length of 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 letters.

If a list does not have enough words of the chosen length, the tool adds words from the other lists in the same group and shows an info line to say so.

Frequently asked questions

How do I make a word scramble worksheet from my spelling words?

Click My words, then type or paste your spellings into the Your words box, one per line or separated by commas. Set Number of words to match your list, then click Print / Save PDF.

How to make a word scramble with an answer key?

Turn on Include an answer key page in the print settings. Each copy then gets an answer page after it, listing the scrambled letters and the answer. To print only the answers, click Print answer key only.

Can I use phrases, names or words with apostrophes?

Yes. An entry can be a short phrase such as “thank you”, a name, or a word with a hyphen or apostrophe, up to 30 characters. Each word of a phrase is scrambled separately and the space stays.

Will my word list be saved?

The list is not stored on any server. Copy link puts your words into the link itself (after the #), so bookmarking or sharing that link brings the same list and puzzle back.

Can I save it as a PDF?

Yes. Click Print / Save PDF, then choose Save as PDF in your browser’s print dialog.

Can students solve it on a tablet or phone?

Yes. Share the link from Copy link; each word appears as letter tiles with an answer box, and Check marks it right or wrong. The page works on phones and tablets.

Is the word scramble maker free?

Yes. The tool is free, requires no account or sign-up, and runs in your browser. Nothing you type is uploaded.