Accounting vocabulary puzzles with answer keys for a business class, from Debit and Credit to Depreciation.
Name Date
Accounting Word Search
Find every word hidden in the grid. Words go across and down.
0 of 16 words found
SBXEXHCSCQDEBIT
CSLFOHJERHRNALC
UTSLLRPROFITLET
TTRQIELMSIBJADQ
SWRFACCOUNTINGY
FSAOBEEFRVLBCEL
RDSFIIXTLOOIERO
SUSKLPPCAIOCDIO
CREDITESUCAQQTR
CNTWTJNPDEQUITY
VDPSYRSDINCOMER
REVENUENTLQVNIT
UDPKUEFCYRHKBNG
ORDPAYROLLZWAKN
OSEIUIIYOTNITSU
This grid is wider and taller than its box. Slide it to see every letter.To drag, hold the first letter for a moment, then slide.Keyboard: Tab to the grid, arrow keys to move, Enter on the first and last letter.
LEDGER
DEBIT
CREDIT
RECEIPT
INVOICE
ASSET
LIABILITY
EQUITY
REVENUE
EXPENSE
INCOME
PROFIT
PAYROLL
BALANCE
ACCOUNTING
AUDIT
16 of 20 words from the Accounting Key Terms list.
Tap or click the first letter of a word, then its last letter. Or drag across the word. On a touch screen, hold the first letter for a moment before you drag. On a keyboard, the arrow keys move, Enter marks the first and the last letter, and Escape clears a first letter.
AccountOne record in the ledger, such as Cash or Rent, with its own balance.
BookkeepingThe day-to-day recording of a business's transactions.
ChartWith of accounts: the list of every account a business uses.
ColumnOne of the two lines of figures, debit and credit, that run down a page.
CreditAn entry on the right side of an account.
DaybookAnother name for a journal.
DebitAn entry on the left side of an account.
Double entryThe method that records every transaction twice, as equal debits and credits.
InvoiceA bill that lists goods or services sold, with the price and terms.
JournalThe book in which a transaction is written first, before it goes to the ledger.
LedgerThe book, or file, that holds every account of a business.
PostingCopying an entry from the journal into the ledger.
ReceiptA paper that shows money or goods were received.
RecordTo write a transaction into the books.
Source documentThe original paper behind an entry, such as a receipt or an invoice.
SubsidiaryThe kind of ledger that holds the detail behind one account of the main ledger.
TotalThe sum at the foot of a column.
TransactionOne event that is recorded, such as a sale or a payment.
Trial balanceA list of every ledger account and its balance, made to test that debits equal credits.
VoucherA paper that backs up an entry in the journal.
Show all 142 words (122 more)
Assets, Liabilities and Equity 30
AssetAnything of value that a business owns or controls.
BondA debt in which the issuer owes the holder the amount borrowed plus interest.
BuildingA shop, office or factory that a business owns.
CapitalMoney put into a business to start it or help it grow.
CashCoins, bills and money in the bank. It is itself an asset.
CurrentDescribes an asset that is cash or soon will be, such as money owed by customers.
DebtMoney that is owed.
DividendA share of a corporation's profit paid out to its shareholders.
EquipmentMachines and tools a business uses for more than a year.
EquityThe owner's share: assets minus liabilities.
FixedDescribes an asset kept for long use and not easily turned into cash.
GoodwillAn intangible asset recorded when one firm buys another for more than its net assets.
IntangibleDescribes an asset that cannot be touched, such as a patent.
InventoryGoods that a business holds to sell.
InvestmentMoney put into something in the hope of earning more.
LandGround that a business owns.
LiabilityAn amount that a business owes.
LoanMoney lent that must be paid back, usually with interest.
MortgageA loan used to buy property, with the property as security.
Net worthEverything owned minus everything owed.
OwnerThe person a business belongs to.
PatentThe right to an invention. On the books it is an intangible asset.
PayableOwed by the business to a supplier it has not yet paid.
PrepaidPaid for ahead of time, as a year of insurance can be.
PrincipalThe amount borrowed on a loan, not counting interest.
PropertyLand and buildings.
ReceivableOwed to the business by a customer who has not yet paid.
RetainedEarnings of this kind are profits kept in the business, not paid out.
StockShares of ownership in a corporation.
SuppliesSmall items a business uses up, such as paper and ink.
Income and Expenses 30
AccrualRevenue earned or an expense owed that has not yet been paid in cash.
AmortizationSpreading the cost of an intangible asset over its useful life.
Bad debtMoney owed to a business that is unlikely to be paid.
CostWhat is paid to buy or make something.
DeferralCash paid or received now for revenue or an expense that counts later.
DeficitMore money going out than coming in.
DepreciationSpreading the cost of a tangible asset over the years it is used.
EarningsAnother word for profit.
ExpenseA cost of running the business, such as rent or wages.
GrossBefore anything is taken off.
IncomeWhat is left when expenses are taken from revenue.
InsuranceProtection against a loss, bought with regular payments.
InterestThe charge for borrowing money.
LossThe amount by which expenses are greater than revenue.
MarginProfit shown as a share of sales.
NetAfter everything is taken off.
PayrollThe list of employees and the pay each one is due.
ProfitThe amount by which revenue is greater than expenses.
RentThe regular payment for using a building someone else owns.
RevenueMoney a business earns from selling goods and services.
RoyaltyA fee paid to an owner for the use of a patent or a book.
SalaryRegular pay that is the same each period, not counted by the hour.
SalesRevenue from goods sold.
SalvageThe value an asset is expected to have at the end of its useful life.
Straight lineThe method that charges the same depreciation every year.
SurplusMore money coming in than going out.
TaxMoney paid to a government.
UtilitiesBills for electricity, water and gas.
WagesPay counted by the hour or by the job.
Write-offA cut in the recorded value of an asset, sometimes to zero.
Cash and Banking 18
BalanceThe amount in an account after debits and credits are added up.
BankA business that keeps money safe and makes loans.
ChangeCoins and bills handed back when a customer pays too much.
CheckA written order that tells a bank to pay money from an account.
CoinA piece of metal money.
CurrencyThe money of a country, such as dollars.
DepositMoney put into a bank account.
OutstandingDescribes a bill or a debt that has not yet been paid.
OverdraftTaking out more money than is in an account.
PaymentAn amount of money paid.
Petty cashA small fund of coins and bills kept for minor expenses.
ReconcileTo make sure two sets of records agree, such as the books and the bank statement.
RegisterA drawer and machine that records each sale in a shop.
SavingsMoney set aside in an account to earn interest.
TellerA bank worker who handles customers' cash.
TransferTo move money from one account to another.
VaultA strong room in a bank.
WithdrawalMoney taken out of a bank account.
People and Principles 22
AccountantA person trained to keep and report financial records.
AccountingRecording, summarizing and reporting the money matters of a business.
AuditorA person who checks another organization's financial records.
BookkeeperA person who records the daily transactions.
ComplianceFollowing the laws and rules.
ConsistencyUsing the same methods from one period to the next.
ControllerThe head of accounting in a company.
CreditorA person or business to whom money is owed.
DebtorA person or business that owes money.
EntityA business treated as separate from its owner.
Going concernA business that is expected to keep running and pay its debts.
IntegrityHonesty in keeping the books.
InvestorA person who puts money into a business hoping for a return.
MatchingThe principle that an expense is reported in the same period as the revenue it helped earn.
MaterialityThe idea that an amount matters only if it is large enough to change a decision.
PayeeThe person or business that a check is made out to.
PrincipleA basic rule of accounting, such as matching.
ProprietorThe owner of a business run by one person.
StandardA rule that accountants agree to follow.
TaxpayerA person or business that pays money to the government.
TreasurerThe person in charge of an organization's money.
VendorA business that sells goods to another business.
Statements and Periods 22
AdjustingThe entries made at the end of a period to bring accounts up to date.
AnnualOnce a year, as the main report to shareholders is.
AuditAn independent check of an organization's financial records.
Balance sheetThe statement that lists assets, liabilities and equity on one date.
Bottom lineA common name for net income, the last line of the income statement.
BudgetA plan for the money that will come in and go out.
Cash flowThe statement of this name shows cash coming into and going out of a business.
ClosingThe entries made at the end of a period to empty the temporary accounts.
DisclosureFacts that a business must make known in its reports.
Fiscal yearThe twelve months a business uses for its books. It need not start in January.
FootnoteA note under a statement that explains a figure.
InterimCovering part of a year, such as one quarter.
LiquidityThe ability to pay short-term debts when they fall due.
PeriodThe span of time that one set of statements covers.
QuarterThree months: one fourth of a fiscal year.
RatioOne figure divided by another, used to judge a business.
SolvencyThe ability to meet long-term debts.
SpreadsheetA computer file of rows and columns that adds up figures.
StatementA formal report of a business's finances.
SummaryA short account of the main figures.
VarianceThe difference between a budgeted amount and the actual amount.
WorksheetA working paper with columns used to prepare the statements.
How this list was compiled: Own work: the word list and every clue were written for this page. The meanings were checked on 2026-10-09 against English Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/, in the articles Accounting, Bookkeeping, Double-entry bookkeeping, Debits and credits, Ledger, General journal, Subledger, Chart of accounts, Trial balance, Accounting equation, Asset, Liability, Equity, Fixed asset, Intangible asset, Goodwill, Accounts receivable, Accounts payable, Inventory, Loan, Mortgage, Bond, Stock, Dividend, Retained earnings, Net worth, Revenue, Expense, Gross income, Net income, Profit margin, Salary, Payroll, Depreciation, Amortization, Residual value, Accrual, Deferral, Bad debt, Write-off, Royalty payment, Balance sheet, Income statement, Cash flow statement, Financial statement, Fiscal year, Audit, Variance, Accounting liquidity, Solvency, Closing entries, Adjusting entries, Comptroller, Treasurer, Creditor, Debtor, Sole proprietorship, Matching principle, Materiality, Going concern, Entity concept, Cheque, Reconciliation, Petty cash, Overdraft, Bank teller, Invoice and Receipt. Spellings and everyday meanings were checked on 2026-10-09 against the entries of English Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/. Licence: own work
How it works
These free printable accounting word search puzzles open on 16 key terms: Ledger, Debit, Credit, Asset, Liability, Equity, Invoice, Revenue and Audit among them. Six more lists follow a first accounting course, and every word has a one-line meaning.
Read the full guide
From the journal to the statements
Under Start from a list, The Books has Journal, Posting, Voucher and Trial balance. Assets, Liabilities and Equity holds the three parts of the accounting equation, with Receivable, Payable, Goodwill and Dividend. Income and Expenses has Accrual, Deferral and Depreciation. Statements and Periods has Balance sheet, Fiscal year and Closing.
Banking and the people
Cash and Banking has Deposit, Reconcile, Overdraft and Petty cash. People and Principles has Auditor, Creditor and Debtor beside Matching, Materiality and Going concern. Each list makes its own accounting word search printable, with a key.
Principal, the amount borrowed, and Principle, a basic rule, are both on the list.
Tick Show clues, not words and Debit prints as "An entry on the left side of an account."
Questions and answers
What is the accounting equation?
Assets = Liabilities + Equity. What a business owns equals what it owes plus the owners' share. Double-entry bookkeeping rests on it: every transaction is recorded as equal debits and credits, so the two sides stay in balance.
What is the difference between a debit and a credit?
A debit is an entry on the left side of an account and a credit is an entry on the right. A debit increases an asset account; a credit increases a liability or equity account. In every transaction the two totals are equal.
What is the difference between bookkeeping and accounting?
Bookkeeping is the recording of financial transactions, and it is one part of accounting. Accounting goes on to measure the results of a business and report them to investors, creditors, managers and regulators.
What are the main financial statements?
The balance sheet lists assets, liabilities and equity on one date. The income statement shows revenues and expenses over a period. The cash flow statement shows cash coming into and going out of the business.