PuzzlePage
Play
Word SearchHardFree PDFUpdated for 2026

Cells Word Search

Find 15 cell parts and organelles, from nucleus to chloroplast

Fifteen parts of plant and animal cells, from the nucleus and cell membrane to the mitochondria, often remembered as the powerhouse of the cell. It is a hard grid for grades 6 to 8, and several of its words are ten letters or longer. Cells got their name in 1665, when Robert Hooke looked at thin slices of cork under a microscope and described the tiny boxes he saw in his book Micrographia.

Free printable PDF with a full answer key, sized for US Letter and free for classroom use. Want your own title or words? Open it in the word search editor with everything already filled in.

Word SearchPreview

Cells Word Search

Find 15 cell parts and organelles, from nucleus to chloroplast

G
T
I
I
N
L
C
F
E
M
O
S
O
B
I
R
C
C
W
E
I
Q
O
Z
N
K
E
M
E
M
B
R
A
N
E
Y
R
F
L
L
A
W
V
N
J
M
G
V
B
T
W
M
P
T
J
L
X
L
M
B
A
U
V
L
O
W
N
R
U
K
T
O
Z
H
J
P
E
E
A
V
D
D
Y
S
I
Z
M
L
N
P
I
J
C
S
H
N
L
I
A
L
S
S
O
Q
C
G
A
L
W
K
G
U
O
N
A
H
R
C
L
B
O
M
I
O
H
A
Q
E
O
E
S
F
U
G
K
D
U
A
K
S
O
H
F
S
K
J
L
L
P
X
E
C
R
I
N
O
W
U
O
R
D
M
Q
E
G
C
H
L
P
S
L
O
S
O
L
L
F
M
H
R
F
Q
I
U
B
P
I
P
P
E
I
A
H
E
L
L
E
C
A
L
N
N
L
U
K
C
E
Q
O
W
A
C
Y
E
G
K
U
N
R
A
P
D
V
Y
M
U
W
L
C
G
O
A
C
Y
G
C
E
N
T
R
I
O
L
E
Y
H
U
C
I
T
O
C
V
J
C
H
L
O
R
O
P
L
A
S
T
S
F
X
I
Q
P
U
T
C
R
Z
A
E
P
P
H
X
T
V
W
H
F
M
W
L
W
T
R
Y
E
M
O
S
I
X
O
R
E
P
D
X
V
I
I
U
E
A
K
V
V
S
E
F
T
U
Z
N
S
L

Word List

  • MITOCHONDRIA
  • CHLOROPLAST
  • CHROMOSOME
  • PEROXISOME
  • CYTOPLASM
  • ORGANELLE
  • NUCLEOLUS
  • CENTRIOLE
  • MEMBRANE
  • RIBOSOME
  • CELLWALL
  • LYSOSOME
  • NUCLEUS
  • VACUOLE
  • GOLGI
Free printable PDF · puzzle + answer key · puzzlepage.app
Customize this puzzle nowTurn this into a worksheet instantly

Enter your email once to unlock this PDF plus 10 more free printable puzzles. Answer key included. Or open it in the editor: your title, your words, and no PuzzlePage credit with Premium.

Free is just the start

Make this word search yours

The same generators that made these PDFs are yours to use. Editing and previewing are always free. Premium removes the PuzzlePage credit and unlocks worksheets, themes, fonts and 100-puzzle batches.

What is a Word Search?

A word search hides a list of words in a grid of letters. Words can run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Your job is to find and circle each one.

How to solve it

Scan rows and columns for the first letter of each word, then trace in all eight directions. Check off words as you find them.

Who is this for?

Word searches are perfect for all ages, from young students building vocabulary to adults who enjoy a relaxing mental exercise. Teachers use them for vocabulary preview activities, early finishers, and classroom brain breaks.

About this puzzle

Free printable cell word search: find nucleus, mitochondria, ribosome, chloroplast and 11 more. Hard level with answer key for grades 6-8. Instant PDF download.

  • Difficulty: Hard
  • Format: US Letter PDF with answer key
  • Free to download, print, and use
  • Commercial use allowed for KDP publishers

Step-by-step: solving the Cells Word Search

  1. Print the PDF. Download the free PDF and print both pages (the puzzle and the answer key) on standard US Letter paper.
  2. Scan for first letters. Read down the word list, then look across rows and columns of the grid for the first letter of each word.
  3. Trace in any direction. Depending on the level, words run across, down, diagonally and, on hard puzzles, backward. Once you spot a starting letter, check every direction the level allows.
  4. Check off found words. Cross each found word off the list. When the list is empty, compare with the answer key to verify.

Frequently asked questions

What are the parts of an animal cell and what do they do?›
The main parts of an animal cell are the cell membrane, which controls what goes in and out; the cytoplasm, the jelly-like fluid that fills the cell; the nucleus, which holds the DNA; mitochondria, which release energy from food; and ribosomes, which build proteins. Plant cells also have a cell wall and chloroplasts, which animal cells lack.
What grade is this cell word search for?›
It is the hard level, written for middle school life science, grades 6 to 8, and it works as a review for high school biology. Terms such as Golgi and centriole are included for older students.
Is there a cell biology puzzle pack?›
Yes. The Cells Puzzle Pack ($2.99) adds a crossword, a cryptogram, a word scramble, a word fill-in and a bigger word search, all with thirty new words, so nothing repeats this free page. It adds words like eukaryote, osmosis, cilia and flagellum.
Can words go diagonally or backward?›
It depends on the level. Easy word searches hide words across and down, medium ones add diagonals, and hard ones can also run backward and upward. The difficulty is shown at the top of this page.
Is there an answer key?›
Yes. Every free PuzzlePage word search PDF includes a separate answer-key page that highlights or lists every hidden word.
What grade level is this for?›
Easy word searches suit kindergarten through grade 2, medium ones grades 3 to 8, and hard ones older students and adults. Teachers use them for vocabulary previews, early finishers and sub days. The page above names the grades this one was written for.
Can I customize this puzzle?›
Yes. Open it in the free Word Search editor with the words already filled in, then change the title, edit or add words and pick a difficulty. Downloads are free with your email, and Premium removes the PuzzlePage credit.

More free Life & Physical Science puzzles

Core NGSS vocabulary for plants, cells and states of matter.

Make your own custom puzzles

Free Word Search Generator→← Browse all 231 free puzzles