How to make a word scramble
Start with the vocabulary or topic words you want your class to work with. Use the worksheet for individual work, or keep the tool on your projector for a whole-class word scramble game.
- Select Word scramble to use the word scramble tool.
- Open Paste a list and paste your words, one per line. To include a definition or clue, put it after the word, separated by a tab or a dash with spaces around it.
- Choose Use this list to use the pasted list.
- For an on-screen activity, use Show the first letter or Show the hint from the list when you want to offer a clue. Select Show answer when you are ready to show the answer.
- Use Next word to move through the list. Select Scramble again if you want to mix the current word again.
- For a worksheet, choose Letter or A4 with Paper, enable Add answer key page if you want the answers, then select Print. The browser print window lets you print or save a PDF.
How to add clues
You can offer the first letter, a hint from your list, or both during on-screen play. Use Show the first letter for the letter clue and Show the hint from the list for the definition or hint you supplied.
For example, paste “evaporation” followed by a tab and “liquid changing into gas” as a line in your list. A tab between the word and definition also works, which is useful when copying from a spreadsheet.
Choose clues that fit the task: a definition for vocabulary review or a brief description for a topic word. You decide when to offer a hint and when to reveal the answer, so you can leave time for discussion before showing it.
Word scramble ideas for class
Use words from the lesson you are about to teach or the unit you are reviewing. Decide in advance whether students will work from paper or respond to words on the board.
- Warm-up: show a scrambled topic word to the whole class while students settle in. Leave it visible during opening discussion, then reveal the answer before starting the lesson.
- Vocabulary center: print a worksheet for students working independently or with a partner during the center rotation. Keep the separate answer key for checking when they finish.
- Review day: show words to small groups on the projector for the review portion of class. Let groups discuss each word before you offer its definition or reveal the answer.
- Exit activity: display a word from the day's lesson during the closing minutes. Ask students to write the unscrambled word and explain how it connects to the lesson before you show the answer.
Common questions
Can a scrambled word come out unchanged?
Words with 3 or more letters are mixed so the result differs from the original, unless the word consists of one repeated letter. Shorter words stay unchanged. In a phrase, each word is mixed separately.
Can I add hints to a word scramble?
Yes. Put a hint or definition after the word, separated by a tab or a dash with spaces around it. During on-screen play, you can show that hint with Show the hint from the list or offer the first letter with Show the first letter.
Is there a printable answer key?
Yes. Enable Add answer key page before printing to add the answer key on a separate page. The worksheet lists every scrambled word with a line for the answer, and you can use Letter or A4 paper.
Can I play word scramble on a projector?
Yes. The tool shows scrambled words one at a time, and Show answer displays the answer when you choose. Use Full screen to show only the tool on your projector.
Is this word scramble generator free?
Yes, the tool is free to use in your browser and does not require an account. You can use it for on-screen play or print worksheets with an optional answer key.
Can I save my word scramble list?
Your list is saved only in the browser you use. To move it to another browser, use Download file to save a JSON file and Open file to load it again. If the browser blocks storage, the tool still works until the page closes and tells you that your work was not saved.