Students really enjoy puzzles, and when vocabulary practice feels like a game, they’re more likely to get involved, remember what they’ve learned, and even ask for more. This post shares some fun vocabulary activities for grades 4–6 using games, riddles, and brain teasers to build word skills in an engaging way. Plus, there’s a free handout full of print-and-go activities and links to resources for creating your own games and puzzles. Inside, you’ll find easy-to-follow directions and examples for four fun activities you can start using right away, along with a list of links to help you create your own puzzles.
👉 Grab the free handout here. It contains all the printables for the activities from this post.
🤔 Why Use Word Puzzles for Vocabulary?
Wordplay activities:
- build deeper connections between words and meanings
- encourage pattern recognition (roots, affixes, letter shifts)
- make students more flexible thinkers—seeing how words can bend and shift
- bring in an element of fun that worksheets often can’t
Whether you use them for morning work, literacy centers, or early finisher bins, these puzzles are low-prep and high-engagement.
Vocabulary Activities You’ll Love
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the activities included in the free handout:
Activity #1 – Add-a-Word Challenges
This activity asks students to combine two words to form a new one, but the twist is figuring out whether the added word goes at the beginning or end. It’s a quick way to strengthen word analysis skills.
Extension Ideas:
- Turn it into a partner race: one student reads the base word, the other guesses the compound.
- Use it as a warm-up: project one base word and let students brainstorm all possible combinations.
- Challenge students to create their own Add-a-Word puzzles using vocabulary from your current unit.
Activity #2 – Reversible Compound Word Match
This activity invites students to explore compound words that flip meaning depending on word order like doghouse vs. house dog. It’s a clever way to deepen vocabulary understanding and highlight how structure affects meaning.
For this interactive self-checking webpage, students drag and drop to match each compound word with its definition. Students then match each compound to a cloze sentence that reinforces its definition.
Extension Ideas:
- Use the images as anchor visuals in your vocabulary wall or digital slides.
- Challenge students to brainstorm other reversible pairs (schoolhouse vs. house school, firehouse vs. house fire) and write their own cloze sentences.
- Turn it into a sorting game: give students a mix of compound words and have them group them by reversible vs. fixed meaning.
Visit the interactive webpage on Book Units Teacher here.
Activity #3 – Anagrams
Anagrams push students to see how letters can rearrange to form completely new words. This type of flexible thinking is great for spelling and problem-solving.
Classroom twist: Use anagrams as a timed challenge game, or connect them to content vocabulary (e.g., rearrange “planet” to find “platen”).
Extension Ideas:
- Use vocabulary words from your current unit and challenge students to find hidden anagrams.
- Create a “Word Wall Scramble” where students unscramble anagrams posted around the room.
- Pair with dictionary work: students find definitions for each anagram they create.
Activity #4 – Homographs
Homographs are words that look the same but have different meanings or pronunciations. They’re a great way to explore context clues and deepen understanding of multiple-meaning words.
Extension Ideas:
- Have students illustrate both meanings of a homograph in a comic strip format.
- Create a “Guess the Meaning” game where students act out one meaning and classmates guess which it is.
- Use homographs in silly sentences and challenge students to explain both meanings.
Homographs (words spelled alike but with different meanings or pronunciations) are perfect for vocabulary discussions and visual projects.
Try this: Have students illustrate pairs of homographs side by side. These make a fun hallway display!
Activity #5 – Puns
Before launching your lesson, warm things up with this 3-minute video that walks students through the meaning of writer’s voice. It includes quotes from children’s books followed by quick discussion questions.
(Runtime: 3:26 – perfect for bell ringer or mid-lesson switch-up.)
Activity #6: Word Find – A Boggle-Style Vocabulary Game
Looking for a vocabulary challenge that doubles as a brain break? Word Find is a free, Boggle-style game designed for small groups or independent play. Students race against the clock to build words from a randomized letter grid, following adjacency rules and scoring based on word length.
This Google Slides activity includes:
individual “secret” boards for each player- a shared group board for scoring
- simplified setup for distance learning or classroom play
- clear instructions and scoring charts
Players must form words using adjacent letters (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal), without reusing letters or jumping across the board. After the timer ends, students compare answers only unique words earn points!
This free version includes a sample game and answer key. The full set (available on TPT) features 21 rounds with built-in scoring tools and timers.
The link to the free Google Slides game is the post’s handout.
Activity #7 – Word Puzzle Generators
Online puzzle generators make it easy to create custom vocabulary activities in minutes. From crosswords to word searches, these tools are perfect for review days, sub plans, or independent practice.
Extension Ideas:
- Let students design their own puzzles using vocabulary from your current unit.
- Create a “Puzzle Station” in your literacy centers with rotating formats.
- Use puzzles as formative assessments—students solve, then explain the meaning of each word.
Bonus: Puzzle Generator Round-Up
Want to make your own vocabulary puzzles in minutes? These free tools require no sign-up and are perfect for quick classroom use:
- Discovery Education’s Puzzlemaker: Word searches, mazes, and more
- PuzzleFast: Fast and flexible for vocabulary lists
- Super Teacher Worksheets: Great for younger learners
- The Teacher’s Corner: Crossword maker with answer key options
Did you miss one of the links in the post? Be sure to grab the handout, enjoy the interactive practice, and look for additional teaching ideas at these links.
See the product that inspired this post.
If you are looking to add some high interest activities to your lessons, try using animated shorts to teach reading and writing skills. This packet contains graphic organizers covering many Common Core skills. $Save$ when you purchase this mega bundle which includes all 12 units.
2 comments
I enjoyed these, although some may be a bit difficult for my EFL kids. Most of them have the typical textbook vocabulary (limited and b-o-r-I-n-g), and now I’m here to change that! hahaha These will be quite a challenge for them – love it!
Do you have any more?
Thanks for the freebie! 🙂
Author
You’re welcome. You might like last week’s post on word wheels. https://bookunitsteacher.com/wp/?p=5904