Periodic Table Word Search
This periodic table word search hides the names of real chemical elements, from everyday ones like oxygen, iron and gold to tongue-twisters like molybdenum and praseodymium. It is a fun way for middle and high school chemistry students to practice spelling element names. For a challenge, have students write each element's symbol next to its name after they find it.
Periodic Table Word Search
Find and circle every word in the list. Words go across, down and diagonally.
- ALUMINUM
- BERYLLIUM
- BORON
- CARBON
- COPPER
- FLUORINE
- GOLD
- HELIUM
- HYDROGEN
- IRON
- LITHIUM
- MAGNESIUM
- NEON
- NITROGEN
- OXYGEN
- PHOSPHORUS
- SILICON
- SILVER
- SODIUM
- SULFUR
Periodic Table Hidden Message Word Search
Find and circle every word in the list. Words go across, down and diagonally.
- ALUMINUM
- BERYLLIUM
- BORON
- COPPER
- FLUORINE
- GOLD
- IRON
- LITHIUM
- MAGNESIUM
- NEON
- PHOSPHORUS
- SILICON
- SILVER
- SODIUM
Hidden message: the leftover letters, read left to right and top to bottom, spell a secret message._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Periodic Table Word Search — Answer Key
Periodic Table Hidden Message Word Search — Answer Key
Hidden message: Elements are everywhere
About this periodic table word search
- There are 118 confirmed elements on the periodic table. Dmitri Mendeleev published the first widely recognized version in 1869.
- Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, while oxygen is the most abundant element in Earth's crust.
- Four elements, yttrium, ytterbium, terbium and erbium, are named after the same small village: Ytterby, Sweden.
- Some symbols come from Latin names, which is why gold is Au (aurum), iron is Fe (ferrum) and lead is Pb (plumbum).
Want a different version? Make your own word search with these words, a shaped grid, or bent words.
Words in these puzzles
HydrogenHeliumOxygenCarbonNitrogenIronGoldSilverCopperSodiumLithiumBerylliumBoronFluorineNeonMagnesiumAluminumSiliconPhosphorusSulfur
Frequently asked questions
›Is this periodic table word search free to print?
Yes. Print it straight from your browser or download the PDF, which includes 2 puzzles and their answer keys. No sign-up needed.
›Where is the answer key?
The answer keys print on their own pages after the puzzles, and they are in the PDF too. Every word is highlighted, so checking is quick.
›Can I make my own periodic table word search?
Yes. Press "Customize this puzzle" to open it in the word search maker. There you can add or remove words, change the grid size, pick a shape or add a hidden message.