Human Body Crossword Puzzle (free printable)
A free human body crossword with thirteen words and clues for grades 3 to 6: skeleton, skull, spine, muscles, heart, lungs, brain, nerves and more, with numbered squares and an answer key.
To save a PDF, choose Print, then “Save as PDF” as the printer. Only the sheets print.
All 13 words are in the crossword (13 × 12 squares).
About this set
Thirteen words from a body systems unit, each with a clue that explains what the part does: the bone that protects your brain, the muscle that pumps blood around your body, the two organs that fill with air when you breathe, the thin fibers that carry messages between your brain and the rest of your body. The answers cover the skeleton (skeleton, skull, ribs, spine, joint), the muscles, the heart and pulse, the lungs and oxygen, the stomach and the brain and nerves. Students who finish a unit can solve most from memory, and the clues are a good check of what they can explain, not just name. Turn off the word bank for sixth grade.
Grades: 3rd to 6th grade. Best in: October, February, March.
The words and clues
- Skeleton :
- The frame of bones that holds up your body
- Skull :
- The hard bone that protects your brain
- Ribs :
- Curved bones that protect your heart and lungs
- Spine :
- The line of bones down the middle of your back
- Muscles :
- Body parts that tighten and relax to move your bones
- Heart :
- The muscle that pumps blood around your body
- Lungs :
- The two organs that fill with air when you breathe
- Brain :
- The organ inside your head that controls your body and lets you think
- Stomach :
- The organ where swallowed food is mixed and broken down
- Pulse :
- The beat you can feel in your wrist each time your heart pumps
- Nerves :
- Thin fibers that carry messages between your brain and the rest of your body
- Joint :
- A place where two bones meet, like your elbow or knee
- Oxygen :
- The gas in the air that your body needs to stay alive and well
How to use it: five ideas
- Exit ticket: use the crossword as a closing task for a body unit, and have each student explain one answer without the clue.
- Label the body: students use the answers to label a body outline, writing each part where it belongs.
- Explain the system: students pick two answers from the same system, such as heart and pulse, and explain how they work together.
- Write a clue: students write a clue for “bones” or “blood” in their own words, trade with a partner and solve each other’s.
- Layout for each table: press Make another so that every group has its own arrangement.
Related
Questions
Are the clues accurate?
Yes. The skull protects the brain, the heart is a muscle that pumps blood, the lungs take in oxygen from the air, and nerves carry messages. If you change a clue, check it against a trusted science source first.
Does it include reproductive terms?
No. The crossword names the skeleton, muscles, heart, lungs, stomach, brain and nerves. Schools teach other body topics on their own schedule, and the words are not in this puzzle.
Can I change the words and clues?
Yes. Each of the 13 lines is a word, a colon and its clue. Edit any of them, and the crossword is rebuilt with new numbers.
How do I save it as a PDF?
Press Print and choose “Save as PDF” as the printer. The puzzle is page one and the answer key is page two.
How do I get a different layout?
Press “Make another”. The same words and clues are placed in a new arrangement, so each table can have its own puzzle.
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