Learning sight words with word searches
A word search makes children look at a word's exact letter order: to find "said" in a grid, you have to know it is s-a-i-d, not s-e-d. That makes it a calm, independent way to practise spelling the high-frequency words from the Dolch and Fry lists.
The Tricky spellings sample collects words that often trip up older children, like "because", "through" and "separate". Every word in every list on this page is explained below in plain language, so the puzzle can double as a vocabulary check.
Did you know?
Edward Fry's list of 1,000 "instant words" was first put together in the 1950s and updated in 1980.
English has around 44 sounds but only 26 letters, so letters team up (like "sh" and "th") and some words use unexpected spellings.
The "gh" in words like "through" was once pronounced, as a throaty sound. The spelling stayed after the sound disappeared.
Edward Dolch built his list from words that appeared most often in children's books of the 1930s.
The Dolch list leaves nouns out of its main 220 words. It has a separate list of 95 nouns, like "apple" and "dog".
Every word, with a child-friendly meaning 240
Meanings are written for young readers, with a short example where a word is hard to define on its own.
Word list 10 words
- answer
- What you say or write back to a question.
- because
- Gives the reason. "I smiled because I was happy."
- believe
- To think something is true.
- enough
- As much as you need.
- favorite
- The one you like best. Spelled favourite in British English.
- friend
- Someone you like and trust who likes you too.
- guess
- To give an answer when you are not sure.
- separate
- To pull apart. Or not joined together.
- through
- In one side and out the other.
- whether
- Shows a choice between possibilities. "I don't know whether to laugh."
Dolch pre-primer 38 words
- and
- Joins words or ideas together. "Jam and toast."
- away
- To or at a distance from here. "The bird flew away."
- big
- Large in size.
- blue
- The colour of a clear sky.
- can
- Able to do something. "I can hop." Also a metal tin.
- come
- To move towards here.
- down
- Towards a lower place.
- find
- To discover something you were looking for.
- for
- Meant to be given to or used by. "This is for you."
- funny
- Making you laugh.
- go
- To move from one place to another.
- help
- To make things easier for someone.
- here
- In or at this place.
- in
- Inside something.
- is
- A form of "be". "The sun is hot."
- it
- The thing we are talking about.
- jump
- To push off the ground with your legs into the air.
- little
- Small in size or amount.
- look
- To use your eyes to see something.
- make
- To build or create something.
- me
- The word for yourself after words like "to" or "with". "Play with me."
- my
- Belonging to me.
- not
- Makes a sentence mean the opposite. "It is not cold."
- one
- The number 1.
- play
- To have fun with games or toys.
- red
- The colour of strawberries.
- run
- To move quickly on your feet.
- said
- Spoke. "She said hello."
- see
- To notice with your eyes.
- the
- Points to a particular thing. "The dog barked." It is the most common word in English.
- three
- The number 3.
- to
- Towards a place or person. "Go to school."
- two
- The number 2.
- up
- Towards a higher place.
- we
- You and me, or me and other people.
- where
- Asks about a place. "Where is my hat?"
- yellow
- The colour of a lemon.
- you
- The person someone is talking to.
Dolch primer 52 words
- all
- Every one; the whole amount.
- am
- A form of "be" used with I. "I am six."
- are
- A form of "be". "We are friends."
- at
- Shows where or when. "At home." "At noon."
- ate
- Had eaten food. "I ate an apple."
- be
- To exist, or to have a quality. "Be kind."
- black
- The darkest colour, like the night sky.
- brown
- The colour of chocolate or tree bark.
- but
- Joins two ideas that are different. "Small but strong."
- came
- Moved towards here in the past.
- did
- Carried out an action in the past.
- do
- To carry out an action.
- eat
- To put food in your mouth, chew and swallow.
- four
- The number 4.
- get
- To receive or fetch something.
- good
- Nice, kind, or of high quality.
- have
- To own or hold something.
- he
- A boy or man already talked about.
- into
- Moving to the inside of something.
- like
- To enjoy something. Also means "similar to".
- must
- Has to. "You must wash your hands."
- new
- Just made, bought or started; not old.
- no
- The opposite of yes.
- now
- At this moment.
- on
- Resting on top of something.
- our
- Belonging to us.
- out
- Away from the inside.
- please
- A polite word used when asking for something.
- pretty
- Nice to look at.
- ran
- Moved quickly on your feet in the past.
- ride
- To sit on and travel, like on a bike or horse.
- saw
- Looked at in the past. Also a cutting tool.
- say
- To speak words.
- she
- A girl or woman already talked about.
- so
- Very. "It is so hot." Also means "that is why".
- soon
- In a short time from now.
- that
- Points to something further away. "That tree."
- there
- In or at that place.
- they
- Those people or things.
- this
- Points to something close by. "This book."
- too
- Also. Or more than enough. "Too hot."
- under
- Below something.
- want
- To wish to have or do something.
- was
- A form of "be" in the past. "It was sunny."
- well
- In a good way. Also a deep hole for water.
- went
- Moved to a place in the past.
- what
- Asks about a thing. "What is that?"
- white
- The colour of fresh snow.
- who
- Asks about a person. "Who is there?"
- will
- Shows something is going to happen. "I will try."
- with
- Together alongside. "Come with me."
- yes
- A word that means you agree.
Dolch grade 1 41 words
- after
- Later than something else.
- again
- One more time.
- an
- One; used instead of "a" before a vowel sound. "An egg."
- any
- One or some, no matter which.
- as
- In the same way. "As fast as a cheetah."
- ask
- To say a question to someone.
- by
- Next to. Or done by someone. "A book by her."
- could
- Was able to. Or might.
- every
- Each one of a group.
- fly
- To move through the air. Also a small insect.
- from
- Shows where something started.
- give
- To hand something to someone.
- going
- Moving to a place right now, or soon.
- had
- Owned or held in the past.
- has
- Owns or holds. "She has a dog."
- her
- Belonging to a girl or woman, or the girl or woman herself.
- him
- A boy or man already talked about. "Give it to him."
- his
- Belonging to a boy or man.
- how
- Asks in what way. "How do you do it?"
- just
- Only. Or a moment ago. "I just woke up."
- know
- To have something in your mind; to be sure of it.
- let
- To allow.
- live
- To be alive. Or to have your home somewhere.
- may
- Might. Or asking politely. "May I go?"
- of
- Belonging to or part of. "A cup of tea."
- old
- Having lived or existed a long time.
- once
- One time. Or at some time in the past.
- open
- Not shut.
- over
- Above something. Or finished.
- put
- To place something somewhere.
- round
- Shaped like a circle or ball.
- some
- A few, or an amount of.
- stop
- To end moving or doing something.
- take
- To pick something up and keep or carry it.
- thank
- To tell someone you are grateful.
- them
- Those people or things. "I saw them."
- then
- Next, or at that time.
- think
- To use your mind.
- walk
- To move on foot at a normal speed.
- were
- A form of "be" in the past. "We were late."
- when
- Asks about a time. "When is lunch?"
Dolch grade 2 45 words
- always
- Every time; forever.
- around
- On every side of. Or here and there.
- been
- A form of "be". "I have been there."
- before
- Earlier than something else.
- best
- Better than all the others.
- both
- The two together.
- buy
- To pay money for something.
- call
- To shout to someone, or to phone them.
- cold
- Having a low temperature; not warm.
- does
- A form of "do". "She does her homework."
- don't
- Short for "do not".
- fast
- Quick.
- first
- Before all the others; number one in order.
- five
- The number 5.
- found
- Discovered something that was lost or hidden.
- gave
- Handed something to someone in the past.
- goes
- A form of "go". "He goes to school."
- green
- The colour of grass.
- its
- Belonging to it. "The dog wagged its tail."
- made
- Built or created in the past.
- many
- A large number of.
- off
- Away from, or not switched on.
- or
- Gives a choice. "Red or blue?"
- pull
- To move something towards you.
- read
- To look at written words and understand them.
- right
- Correct. Also the opposite of left.
- sing
- To make music with your voice.
- sit
- To rest on your bottom on a seat.
- sleep
- To rest with your eyes closed, as you do at night.
- tell
- To share information with someone.
- their
- Belonging to them.
- these
- Points to several things close by.
- those
- Points to several things further away.
- upon
- On. "Once upon a time."
- us
- You and me, or me and others. "Wait for us."
- use
- To do something with a thing for a purpose.
- very
- Really; a lot. "Very big."
- wash
- To clean with water.
- which
- Asks for a choice between things. "Which one?"
- why
- Asks for a reason. "Why is the sky blue?"
- wish
- To hope for something.
- work
- A job or task that takes effort.
- would
- Shows what might happen. "I would like that."
- write
- To put words on paper or a screen.
- your
- Belonging to you.
Dolch grade 3 41 words
- about
- On the subject of. Or nearly. "About ten."
- better
- More good than something else.
- bring
- To carry something here.
- carry
- To hold something while you move.
- clean
- Not dirty.
- cut
- To divide with scissors or a knife.
- done
- Finished.
- draw
- To make a picture with a pencil or crayon.
- drink
- To swallow a liquid.
- eight
- The number 8.
- fall
- To drop down. Also the season of autumn.
- far
- A long way away.
- full
- Holding as much as possible.
- got
- Received or fetched in the past.
- grow
- To get bigger.
- hold
- To keep something in your hands.
- hot
- Having a high temperature.
- hurt
- To cause pain, or to feel pain.
- if
- On the condition that. "If it rains, we stay in."
- keep
- To have something and not give it away.
- kind
- Gentle and caring. Also a type. "What kind of dog?"
- laugh
- The sound you make when something is funny.
- light
- Brightness that lets us see. Also not heavy.
- long
- Having a great length or lasting a great time.
- much
- A large amount.
- myself
- Me and no one else.
- never
- Not ever.
- only
- Just one, and no others.
- own
- Belonging to yourself.
- pick
- To choose. Or to pull fruit or flowers from a plant.
- seven
- The number 7.
- shall
- Will. "Shall we go?"
- show
- To let someone see something.
- six
- The number 6.
- small
- Little in size.
- start
- To begin.
- ten
- The number 10.
- today
- This day.
- together
- With each other.
- try
- To make an effort.
- warm
- A little hot, in a pleasant way.
Fry words 1–50 2 words
- each
- Every single one, counted one at a time.
- words
- Groups of letters that have a meaning.
Fry words 51–100 11 words
- day
- The time from one morning to the next, or when it is light.
- more
- A larger amount.
- number
- A word or sign that tells how many, like 7.
- oil
- A thick, slippery liquid used for cooking or in machines.
- other
- A different one. "The other shoe."
- part
- A piece of something bigger.
- people
- Men, women and children.
- than
- Used to compare. "Bigger than a mouse."
- time
- What clocks measure; hours, minutes and seconds.
- water
- The clear liquid in rain, rivers and the sea.
- way
- A path or road. Or how to do something.
Built around the weekly spelling list
Every week the list changes, and every week someone needs a worksheet for it. Paste the words straight from the newsletter or planning document (one per line, or separated by commas) and the puzzle is ready. Keep the name line on and it can go straight into homework folders.
Searching for a word means holding its spelling in mind and checking it letter by letter against the grid, which is good practice for exactly the words children are learning. The word bank shows each word correctly spelled, so they see the right version again and again.
Dolch and Fry presets
For sight-word practice, choose a Dolch list (pre-primer to grade 3) or Fry words 1–100 from the menu. One-letter words such as “a” and “I” are left out, since they cannot be hidden fairly in a grid. Lists are long, so the generator uses the first 60 words; for younger readers, delete down to 8–12 words and use an easy 10×10 grid.
Choosing the level
- Kindergarten–grade 1: 8–10 words, 10×10, Easy (across and down), lowercase letters to match early reading books.
- Grades 2–3: 12–15 words, 13×13, Medium.
- Grades 4+: a full spelling list, 15×15 or larger, Hard.
Questions people ask
Do word searches help with spelling?
They give useful practice in noticing a word's exact letter order. They work best alongside reading and writing the words, not instead of them.
Which list is best for first grade?
Dolch grade 1 or Fry 1–100 are common choices. Start with the easy level (across and down only) and a 12×12 grid.
Why are some sight words so hard to spell?
English spelling kept many old forms after pronunciation changed. "Through", "enough" and "said" all have spellings that don't match how they sound today.
Can I use my class's own spelling list?
Yes. Paste your words into the generator, one per line or separated by commas.
What is in the Medium and Hard PDFs?
Medium is an 18×18 puzzle with the Dolch grade 2 words; Hard is a 20×20 all-directions puzzle with the Dolch grade 3 words. Each has an answer key.