23 Free Printable Science Word Search Puzzles

I've gathered 23 free printable science word search puzzles for kids and adults. The collection covers general science, astronomy, chemistry, elements, rocks and minerals, weather, biology, the human body, and physics. It also includes easy puzzles, a challenging vocabulary puzzle, and a large print edition. Every puzzle has a separate answer key.

Microscope, rocket, and atom over a science word search

Use these science puzzles at home, in classrooms, in homeschool groups, at company meetings, or whenever you want an educational vocabulary challenge.

To print or save a puzzle: Select its picture or title, then choose Print This Page. In your browser's print window, select your printer or choose a PDF option. Use the Solution link whenever you need the answer key.

You may print and copy these sheets for personal, classroom, church, company, or activity-group use. Keep the copyright line in place and do not sell the puzzles.

Choose a Science Word Search

Jump down to:
Easy • General Science • Space & Astronomy • Chemistry & Elements
Earth Science & Weather • Life Science • Hard • Large Print

Easy Science Word Searches for Kids

These two puzzles use short, familiar science and laboratory words. Words run only from left to right or from top to bottom.

My First Science printable word search puzzle

My First Science 8 words • 10 × 10 Solution

Word list

AIR, EARTH, LIGHT, MAGNET, MOON, PLANT, ROCK, WATER

Science Lab for Kids printable word search puzzle

Science Lab for Kids 12 words • 12 × 12 Solution

Word list

BEAKER, DROPPER, GOGGLES, LAB, MAGNET, MEASURE, MICROSCOPE, MIX, OBSERVE, RULER, SCALE, TEST TUBE

General Science Word Searches

These three 15 by 15 puzzles cover a broad assortment of scientific terms.

Science 1 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

ATOM, BEAKER, CELL, CHEMICAL, DATA, DATUM, EXPERIMENT, GENETICS, GEOLOGY, GRAVITY, MEASURE, ORGANISM, PIPETTE, RETORT, SCALE, SCIENCE, VOLUME, WATCH GLASS

Science 2 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

CLIMATOLOGIST, CONTROL, CUVETTE, FOSSIL, FUNNEL, GEOPHYSICS, LABORATORY, LAWS, OBSERVE, PARTICLE, PHASE, SCIENTIST, THEORY, TISSUE, VARIABLE, WEATHER, WEIGH, ZOOLOGY

Science 3 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

BOTANY, ENTOMOLOGY, EVOLUTION, GLASSWARE, LEPIDOPTERY, MASS, MICROBIOLOGY, MINERAL, MOTION, ORNITHOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY, PETRI DISH, PHYSICS, RADIOLOGY, RESEARCH, RETORT, TELESCOPE, VIROLOGIST

Space and Astronomy Word Searches

Explore astronomy, planets, Jupiter's moons, and outer space in these five printable puzzles.

Astronomy 1 printable word search puzzle

Astronomy 1 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

ALBEDO, APOGEE, ASTEROID, ASTRONAUT, BINARY STAR, CLUSTER, EARTH, FLARE, HYDROGEN, LUNAR, METEOROID, ORBIT, SATELLITE, SHOOTING STAR, SOLAR, SUNSPOT, TELEMETRY, TELESCOPE

Astronomy 2 printable word search puzzle

Astronomy 2 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

BLACKHOLE, ECLIPTIC, GALAXY, GIBBOUS, LOCAL GROUP, MARS, MASS, METEOR, PARALLAX, PARSEC, PERTUBATION, PHASE, PLANET, SOLSTICE, STAR, SUN, SUPERNOVA, TELESCOPE

Astronomy 3 printable word search puzzle

Astronomy 3 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

CONJUNCTION, COSMONAUT, CRATER, HELIUM, HUBBLE, IONOSPHERE, MOON, NEUTRON STAR, OORT, PERIGEE, PLUTO, QUASAR, REVOLVE, ROCKET, UMBRA, URANUS, VACUUM, VENUS

Jupiter's Moons printable word search puzzle

Jupiter's Moons 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

GANYMEDE, CALLISTO, IO, EUROPA, AMALTHEA, HIMALIA, THEBE, ELARA, PASIPHAE, METIS, CARME, SINOPE, LYSITHEA, ANANKE, ADRASTEA, LEDA, CALLIRHOE, THEMISTO

Outer Space printable word search puzzle

Outer Space 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

EXOPLANET, MOON, PLANET, SOLAR SYSTEM, LUNAR BASE, QUASAR, GALAXY, JUPITER, SUPERNOVA, RED GIANT, WHITE DWARF, ASTEROID, COMET, METEOR, UNIVERSE, MARS, EUROPA, VACUUM

Chemistry and Elements Word Searches

Practice chemistry vocabulary and the names of chemical elements with these four puzzles.

Chemistry 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

AQUEOUS, ANODE, AVOGADRO, CATALYST, CATHODE, CHIRALITY, DISTILLATION, EMULSION, EXOTHERMIC, HALOGEN, HYDRATION, INHIBITOR, LIGAND, MASS, MOLARITY, SOLVENT, SUBLIMATION, THERMODYNAMICS

Elements 1 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

CARBON, CESIUM, CURIUM, ERBIUM, EUROPIUM, GOLD, HAFNIUM, HELIUM, HYDROGEN, LEAD, NICKEL, PALLADIUM, RADIUM, THALLIUM, UNUNBIUM, VANADIUM, XENON, ZINC

Elements 2 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

ACTINIUM, BORON, BROMINE, GERMANIUM, LANTHANUM, MAGNESIUM, OSMIUM, OXYGEN, PROMETHIUM, RADIUM, RADON, RHODIUM, SILICON, SILVER, SULFUR, TANTALUM, TITANIUM, YTTRIUM

Elements 3 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

ANTIMONY, BERYLLIUM, BISMUTH, BOHRIUM, CALCIUM, CALIFORNIUM, DUBNIUM, DYSPROSIUM, FLUORINE, FRANCIUM, MANGANESE, PLUTONIUM, RUTHERFORDIUM, SCANDIUM, SELENIUM, STRONTIUM, VANADIUM, ZIRCONIUM

Earth Science, Rocks, and Weather Word Searches

This group covers rocks, minerals, weather terms, and other parts of earth science.

Rocks & Minerals 2 printable word search puzzle

Rocks & Minerals 2 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

AGATE, AQUAMARINE, BASALT, BERYL, FIRE OPAL, HARDNESS, JADEITE, LAPIS LAZULI, OBSIDIAN, PETRIFIED WOOD, QUARTZ, ROCK CYCLE, SERPENTINE, TALC, TOPAZ, TSAVORITE, VITREOUS, VULCANITE

Rocks & Minerals 3 printable word search puzzle

Rocks & Minerals 3 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

CHALCEDONY, CITRINE, COAL, CRYSTAL, DENSITY, DIAMOND, EMERALD, GNEISS, KARAT, KUNZITE, LAVA, LUSTER, MAGNETITE, MALACHITE, PERIDOT, SILICA, SOAPSTONE, ZOISITE

Weather 1 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

ANEMOMETER, BALMY, DEPRESSION, DEW POINT, DRIZZLE, EDDY, EYE, FAIR, FLASH FLOOD, FORECAST, FREEZE, FRONT, FROST, HURRICANE, ICE AGE, INVERSION, ISOBAR, JET STREAM

Weather 2 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

FUNNEL CLOUD, GALE, GLOBAL WARMING, GREENHOUSE, HAIL, HALO, HIGH, HUMID, KELVIN, KNOT, LAKE EFFECT, LIGHTNING, MONSOON, PERMAFROST, POLAR, PRESSURE, SHOWER SKY, SLEET

Weather 3 18 words • 15 × 15 Solution

Word list

FUJITA SCALE, GUST, HYDROSPHERE, HYGROMETER, OZONE, RADAR, RAIN GAUGE, SMOG, SQUALL, STRATUS, SUPER CELL, THAW, VAPOR, VISIBILITY, VORTEX, WATER CYCLE, WHITEOUT, WINDCHILL

Life Science and Human Body Word Searches

Review human body terms and more challenging biology vocabulary in these two puzzles.

Human Body 15 words • 14 × 14 Solution

Word list

BLOOD, BONE, BRAIN, HEART, INTESTINE, JOINT, KIDNEY, LIVER, LUNGS, MUSCLE, NERVES, SKELETON, SKIN, SPINE, STOMACH

Biology Vocabulary printable word search puzzle

Biology Vocabulary 18 words • 16 × 16 Solution

Word list

ADAPTATION, CELL, CHROMOSOME, ECOSYSTEM, EVOLUTION, GENETICS, HABITAT, HEREDITY, HOMEOSTASIS, MICROBE, ORGANISM, PHOTOSYNTHESIS, POPULATION, REPRODUCTION, SPECIES, STIMULUS, TRAIT, VERTEBRATE

Hard Science Word Search for Adults

The Physics Vocabulary Challenge has 20 terms in a 20 by 20 grid. Words may run in any direction, including backward and diagonally.

Physics Vocabulary Challenge printable word search puzzle

Physics Vocabulary Challenge 20 words • 20 × 20 Solution

Word list

ACCELERATION, AMPLITUDE, CIRCUIT, CURRENT, ELECTRICITY, ENERGY, FORCE, FRICTION, GRAVITY, INERTIA, MAGNETISM, MASS, MATTER, MOMENTUM, MOTION, POWER, PRESSURE, RESISTANCE, VELOCITY, WAVELENGTH

Large Print Science Word Search

This 12-word puzzle uses larger lettering, with words placed from left to right or downward. It is a good option for seniors and anyone who prefers larger text.

Classic Science, Large Print printable word search puzzle

Classic Science, Large Print 12 words • 12 × 12 Solution

Word list

ATOM, CELL, EARTH, ENERGY, FORCE, LIGHT, MAGNET, MATTER, MOON, PLANET, ROCK, WATER

Looking for easier-to-read puzzles? See the Large Print Word Searches.

How to Solve the Puzzles

Circle each hidden word in the grid, then cross it off the word list. Words always follow a straight line. The easy and large-print puzzles use left-to-right and downward words. The other puzzles may also use backward and diagonal words.

Choosing a Science Word Search

For beginning solvers, start with My First Science or Science Lab for Kids. The themed 15 by 15 puzzles are a good next step for older children and adults. Experienced solvers can try Biology Vocabulary or Physics Vocabulary Challenge, while the large-print puzzle is useful when bigger lettering makes solving more comfortable.