Printable Maine Word Search

Portland, Acadia, Lighthouse, Lobster and Puffin hide in the first grid; print it with the answer key.

Name Date

Maine Word Search

Find every word hidden in the grid. Words go across and down.

0 of 16 words found

UURISYWKPUFFINK

AOAWAJIAMDRLOON

RTWIJJMTLHQIGJO

CELLYPWAOSAGCDR

GBODHLMHBAOHHRD

MBABOGODSYKTIWE

DAULRPBITXEHCFS

FNGUROXNESNOKCA

NGUETRWDRGNUAAC

VOSBLTMOOSESDSA

SRTEELICPGBEECD

TBARHARBORECEOI

ILDRRNFEALCNXBA

SAQYFDSARRMMRAO

WHITEPINEQNLSYB

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.

AugustaAUGUSTA
PortlandPORTLAND
BangorBANGOR
Bar HarborBAR HARBOR
KennebecKENNEBEC
KatahdinKATAHDIN
AcadiaACADIA
LighthouseLIGHTHOUSE
Casco BayCASCO BAY
LobsterLOBSTER
MooseMOOSE
ChickadeeCHICKADEE
White PineWHITE PINE
Wild BlueberryWILD BLUEBERRY
PuffinPUFFIN
LoonLOON

16 of 28 words from the Maine Favorites list.

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Large print Lower-case letters Name and date line on paper

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Answer key: Maine Word Search

UURISYWKPUFFINK

AOAWAJIAMDRLOON

RTWIJJMTLHQIGJO

CELLYPWAOSAGCDR

GBODHLMHBAOHHRD

MBABOGODSYKTIWE

DAULRPBITXEHCFS

FNGUROXNESNOKCA

NGUETRWDRGNUAAC

VOSBLTMOOSESDSA

SRTEELICPGBEECD

TBARHARBORECEOI

ILDRRNFEALCNXBA

SAQYFDSARRMMRAO

WHITEPINEQNLSYB

AUGUSTA, PORTLAND, BANGOR, BAR HARBOR, KENNEBEC, KATAHDIN, ACADIA, LIGHTHOUSE, CASCO BAY, LOBSTER, MOOSE, CHICKADEE, WHITE PINE, WILD BLUEBERRY, PUFFIN, LOON

Next step Make a puzzle from your own Maine trip words Scramble the Maine towns and islands

All 253 words

Maine Cities and Towns 40

Auburn City facing Lewiston across the Androscoggin River.
Augusta State capital on the Kennebec River.
Bangor City on the Penobscot River that grew rich on lumber and shipbuilding.
Bar Harbor Resort town on Mount Desert Island, the gateway to Acadia.
Bath Shipbuilding town on the Kennebec called the City of Ships.
Belfast Small city on Penobscot Bay named by settlers for a port in the north of Ireland.
Bethel Western mountain town near ski slopes.
Biddeford Old textile mill city across the river from Saco.
Boothbay Harbor Fishing and boating town on the midcoast.
Brunswick College town where Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote her novel against slavery.
Calais Border city on the St. Croix River, facing Canada.
Camden Town where the hills meet the sea, home port of many windjammers.
Caribou Northern city in Aroostook County that shares its name with a kind of deer.
Castine Old seaside town at the mouth of the Penobscot, home of a maritime academy.
Damariscotta Midcoast town known for oysters and ancient heaps of oyster shells.
Eastport Small island city on Passamaquoddy Bay, close to Canada.
Ellsworth City on the Union River, on the road to Acadia.

Show all 253 words (236 more)

Maine Cities and Towns, continued

Farmington College town in the western hills that holds a parade for the inventor of earmuffs.
Fort Kent Town at the northern end of U.S. Route 1, with an old wooden blockhouse.
Greenville Town at the foot of Moosehead Lake.
Houlton Border town where Interstate 95 ends at Canada.
Kennebunkport Seaside resort town in the south, once a shipbuilding village.
Kittery Town at the southern tip of the state, home to a naval shipyard.
Lewiston Mill city on the Androscoggin River, twin of Auburn across the water.
Lubec Town at the eastern tip of the state, near a candy-striped lighthouse.
Machias Down East town near the site of an early sea fight of the American Revolution.
Madawaska Town on the St. John River at the northern tip of the state, across from Canada.
Millinocket Former paper mill town that is the gateway to Katahdin.
Ogunquit Beach town on the south coast that became known as an art colony.
Orono Home of the main campus of the University of Maine.
Portland Largest city, a seaport on Casco Bay.
Presque Isle City in Aroostook County, the heart of potato country.
Rangeley Lake and ski town in the western mountains.
Rockland Fishing port on Penobscot Bay that holds a lobster festival each summer.
Saco City at the falls of the river of the same name.
Skowhegan Kennebec River town whose Abenaki name means a watching place for fish.
Stonington Lobster port on Deer Isle, named for its granite quarries.
Waterville College city on the Kennebec River.
Wiscasset Village on the Sheepscot River that calls itself the prettiest in the state.
York Historic town on the south coast with sandy beaches.

Maine Coast, Islands and Lighthouses 34

Acadia National park of granite shores and mountains, mostly on Mount Desert Island.
Bass Harbor Lighthouse on the rocky shore of Mount Desert Island.
Breakwater Long stone wall that shelters a harbor; the one at Rockland has a lighthouse at its end.
Cadillac Granite mountain in Acadia where crowds gather to watch the sunrise.
Cape Elizabeth Town south of Portland with a famous lighthouse on its rocky head.
Carriage Road Car-free gravel lane in Acadia with stone-faced bridges, paid for by John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Casco Bay Island-dotted inlet on which Portland sits.
Cove Small sheltered bay.
Down East Old sailors' name for the coast toward Canada, reached by sailing downwind.
Ferry Boat that carries people and cars to the islands.
Foghorn Loud signal that warns ships when the coast cannot be seen.
Frenchman Bay Inlet beside Mount Desert Island, where Bar Harbor looks out.
Granite Hard speckled rock of the coast, once quarried on the islands for city buildings.
Isle au Haut Island partly inside Acadia whose French name means high island.
Jordan Pond Clear water in Acadia below two rounded hills called the Bubbles.
Ledge Shelf of rock near the water's surface, a danger to boats.
Lighthouse Tower with a bright lamp that warns ships away from rocks.
Marshall Point Lighthouse at Port Clyde, in the town of St. George.
Matinicus Remote island fishing community far out in the Gulf of Maine.
Monhegan Small island far offshore, long a home of fishermen and painters.
Mount Desert Big island of mountains and harbors that holds most of Acadia.
Nubble Lighthouse on a tiny rock island just off York.
Old Orchard Seaside resort town with a pier and amusement rides.
Owls Head Lighthouse in the midcoast town of the same name.
Pemaquid Point with a lighthouse on wave-worn striped rock, shown on the state quarter.
Peninsula Finger of land with water on three sides; the midcoast is full of them.
Popham Beach and old fort at the mouth of the Kennebec, near the site of an English colony of 1607.
Schoodic Quiet mainland part of Acadia on a rocky point.
Somes Sound Long, narrow inlet that nearly splits Mount Desert Island in two.
Surf Waves breaking on the shore.
Thunder Hole Rock inlet in Acadia where waves boom like a storm.
Tide Pool Rocky hollow that holds sea water and small animals when the sea goes out.
Vinalhaven Island fishing town in Penobscot Bay, once famous for granite.
West Quoddy Candy-striped lighthouse at the eastern tip of the state.

Maine Rivers, Lakes and Mountains 25

Allagash Wild northern river kept as a canoe waterway.
Androscoggin River of the west that powered the mills of Lewiston and Auburn.
Appalachian Famous footpath from Georgia that ends on Katahdin.
Aroostook Large northern county, called The County, and the river that crosses it.
Baxter State park of wild forest around Katahdin, a gift from a former governor.
Belgrade Lakes Chain of ponds north of Augusta, a summer place for generations.
Bigelow Range of summits above Flagstaff Lake, kept as a public preserve.
Bog Wet, spongy ground of moss and peat.
Esker Long, winding ridge of gravel left by a melting ice sheet.
Glacier Moving sheet of ice; the ones that once covered the state shaped its lakes and hills.
Grafton Notch State park in a mountain pass with waterfalls and gorges.
Gulf Hagas Slate gorge with waterfalls in the north woods.
Katahdin Highest mountain in the state and the northern end of the Appalachian Trail.
Kennebec River that flows from Moosehead Lake past Augusta to the sea.
Kineo Cliff-faced mountain that rises straight out of Moosehead Lake.
Mahoosuc Rugged range on the New Hampshire border with a famously hard mile of the Appalachian Trail.
Moosehead Huge lake in the north woods, source of the Kennebec River.
Mount Blue State park and summit near Weld in the western mountains.
North Woods Vast forest of the northern half of the state, with few towns or paved roads.
Saddleback Mountain near Rangeley crossed by the Appalachian Trail.
Saint Croix River on the eastern border with Canada.
Saint John River that forms part of the northern border with Canada.
Sebago Deep lake near Portland that supplies the city's drinking water.
Sugarloaf High mountain in the west known for skiing.
Tumbledown Mountain near Weld with a pond close to its top.

Maine State Symbols 26

Blueberry Pie Official dessert, made with the wild berries of the state.
Bowdoin Arctic exploring schooner that is the official state vessel.
Brook Trout Official heritage fish, a speckled native of cold streams.
Chickadee Official bird, a small black-capped singer that says its own name.
Dirigo State motto, Latin for I direct or I guide.
Honeybee Official insect, a maker of honey and a pollinator of blueberries.
Lobster Official crustacean, caught in traps along the coast.
Maine Coon Official cat, a big, shaggy breed with a bushy tail.
Maple Syrup Official sweetener, boiled down from tree sap.
Moose Official animal, the largest member of the deer family.
North Star Light above the shield on the state seal.
Pegmatite Granitic rock with very large crystals, the official state rock.
Pertica Official fossil, an early land plant known from rocks in the north of the state.
Pine Cone With its tassel, the official flower, though it is not really a flower.
Pine Tree State Nickname, from the evergreen on the seal.
Salmon The landlocked kind, which never goes to sea, is the official fish.
Spring Peeper Official amphibian, a tiny frog with a loud, high call.
State Seal Emblem with a farmer, a sailor, a resting moose and a tall pine.
Sulphur The pink-edged kind is the official butterfly.
Tourmaline Official mineral, a gem found in pink, green and blue.
Vacationland Slogan printed on the license plates.
White Pine Official tree, tall and straight, once cut for the masts of ships.
Whoopie Pie Official treat: two round cakes with creamy filling between.
Wild Blueberry Official berry, small and sweet, that grows on low bushes.
Wintergreen Official herb, a low evergreen plant with minty leaves and red berries.
Wood Turtle Official reptile, with a shell that looks carved.

Maine Fishing, Farms and Forests 33

Baked Beans Slow-cooked dish; an old way was to bury the pot in a pit lined with hot rocks.
Barrens Open, sandy plains Down East where wild blueberries grow.
Buoy Painted float that marks where a trap lies on the sea floor.
Canoe Light paddled boat, once covered here with birch bark.
Chowder Thick soup of clams or fish with potatoes and milk.
Clam Shellfish dug from mudflats at low tide.
Dory Small flat-bottomed fishing boat with high sides.
Fiddlehead Curled young fern picked in spring and eaten as a vegetable.
Haddock White fish of the Gulf of Maine, often served fried or in chowder.
Herring Small silver fish used as lobster bait.
Lobster Boat Sturdy vessel with an open stern for hauling traps.
Lobster Roll Sandwich of chilled shellfish meat in a split-top bun.
Lobster Trap Slatted cage baited and set on the sea floor.
Log Drive Floating cut timber down a river to the mills.
Lumberjack Logger who cut the tall trees of the north woods.
Mussel Blue-black shellfish that grows in clusters on rocks.
Oyster Shellfish farmed in the Damariscotta River.
Paper Mill Factory that turns wood pulp into sheets, once the main employer of many towns.
Peavey Logger's tool with a spike and hook for rolling logs, invented by a blacksmith of this state.
Ployes Buckwheat flatbread popular around Madawaska.
Potato Chief crop of Aroostook County.
Quarry Pit where granite is cut from the ground.
Sardine Small herring packed in tins, once a big industry Down East.
Sawmill Place where logs are cut into boards.
Scallop Shellfish with a fan-shaped shell, dragged or dived for in winter.
Schooner Sailing ship with two or more masts, built in the shipyards of this coast.
Sea Urchin Spiny round animal gathered by divers.
Shipyard Place where vessels are built, as at Bath.
Snowshoe Wide frame worn on the foot for walking on deep snow.
Toothpick Small pointed stick; the town of Strong was once called the world capital of them.
Weir Fence of stakes set between the tides to trap fish as the water goes out.
Wharf Platform built out over the water where boats load and unload.
Windjammer Big sailing ship; a fleet of them takes vacationers out of Camden.

Maine History and People 32

Abbie Burgess Teenager who kept the Matinicus Rock lamps burning through weeks of winter storms.
Abenaki Native people of the west of the state, part of the Wabanaki.
Acadians French-speaking settlers whose descendants live in the St. John Valley.
Blockhouse Small log fort with an overhanging upper floor, like the one at Fort Kent.
Boundary Line between two lands; the one with Canada was settled by treaty in 1842.
Chamberlain Joshua ___, college teacher who became a Civil War hero at Gettysburg and later governor.
Champlain Samuel de ___, French explorer who gave Mount Desert Island its name.
Chase Smith Margaret ___, who represented the state in both the House and the Senate.
Colony Settlement in a new land; an English one began at the mouth of the Kennebec in 1607.
Compromise The 1820 deal in Congress that let Maine in as a free state and Missouri as a slave state.
Dawnland Meaning of Wabanaki: the place where the sun first rises.
Dorothea Dix Reformer born in Hampden who worked for better care of people with mental illness.
Earmuffs Ear warmers invented by Chester Greenwood, a Farmington teenager.
Fort Knox Granite fortress on the Penobscot River at Prospect.
Fort Western Old wooden stronghold on the Kennebec in Augusta.
Hamlin Hannibal ___, vice president under Abraham Lincoln.
Jewett Sarah Orne ___, writer from South Berwick whose stories are set in coastal villages.
Longfellow Henry Wadsworth ___, poet born in Portland.
Maliseet Native nation of the St. John River valley.
Massachusetts State that governed Maine as a district until 1820.
McCloskey Robert ___, who wrote and drew picture books set on this coast.
Millay Edna St. Vincent ___, poet born in Rockland.
Passamaquoddy Native nation of the eastern border, and the bay named for it.
Peary Robert ___, Arctic explorer who studied at Bowdoin College and retired to Eagle Island.
Penobscot Native nation based at Indian Island; a river and a bay carry the name.
Rachel Carson Scientist and writer about the sea; a wildlife refuge on this coast is named for her.
State House Domed granite building in Augusta, designed by Charles Bulfinch.
Statehood Reached in 1820, when Maine became the 23rd state.
Stowe Harriet Beecher ___, who wrote her novel against slavery while living in Brunswick.
Wabanaki Confederacy of Native nations of the region, the People of the Dawnland.
Winslow Homer Painter of stormy seas who worked at Prouts Neck.
Wyeth Andrew ___, painter of the farms and shore around Cushing.

Maine Wildlife and Trees 51

Alewife River herring that swims upstream from the sea each spring.
Bald Eagle White-headed bird of prey that fishes along rivers and bays.
Balsam Fir Fragrant evergreen used for wreaths and holiday trees.
Barnacle Small shelled animal that cements itself to rocks and boats.
Beach Rose Pink-flowered shrub of the shore with fat red hips.
Beaver Rodent that fells trees and builds dams.
Beech Smooth gray-barked tree whose nuts feed bears.
Birch White-barked tree whose bark covered Wabanaki canoes.
Black Bear Large forest mammal that fattens on beechnuts and berries.
Blackfly Tiny biting insect of late spring.
Bluefin Giant tuna that hunts in the Gulf of Maine.
Bobcat Short-tailed wild cat.
Bunchberry Low woodland plant with white flowers and clusters of red fruit.
Cormorant Dark diving bird that holds its wings out to dry.
Coyote Wild dog whose howls carry at night.
Cranberry Tart red fruit of boggy ground.
Deer The white-tailed kind browses at the edges of fields.
Eider Sea duck with very soft down.
Fern Feathery green plant of shady woods.
Fisher Dark, quick member of the weasel family that can hunt porcupines.
Grouse The ruffed kind is a woodland bird whose males drum with their wings.
Gull Common white and gray bird of every harbor.
Harbor Seal Spotted sea mammal that rests on ledges at low tide.
Hare The snowshoe kind turns white in winter.
Hemlock Evergreen with short, flat needles and tiny cones.
Heron Tall wading bird that stands still in shallow water to hunt.
Humpback Whale that feeds offshore in summer and sometimes leaps clear of the water.
Kelp Large brown seaweed that grows in underwater forests.
Lady Slipper Pink woodland orchid shaped like a small shoe.
Lichen Crusty or leafy growth on rocks and tree bark.
Loon Diving bird whose wild call echoes over northern lakes.
Lupine Wildflower with tall spikes of purple, pink and blue.
Lynx Wild cat of the north woods with ear tufts and big paws for snow.
Mackerel Fast striped fish that schools near shore in summer.
Marten Small tree-climbing hunter of the deep woods.
Osprey Fish hawk that dives feet first into water.
Periwinkle Small sea snail of the tide pools.
Piping Plover Small sand-colored shorebird that nests on beaches.
Porcupine Slow, quill-covered rodent that climbs trees.
Porpoise Small toothed whale seen in bays.
Puffin Seabird with a bright striped beak that nests on a few offshore islands.
Razorbill Black and white seabird with a thick, blunt beak.
Rockweed Brown seaweed that drapes the rocks between the tides.
Sand Dollar Flat, round relative of the sea urchin.
Sea Star Five-armed animal of the tide pools.
Spruce Evergreen with sharp needles; the red kind was cut for lumber and paper.
Sturgeon Armored, bottom-feeding fish that enters the big rivers.
Sugar Maple Tree tapped for sap and admired for its fall color.
Tamarack Conifer that turns gold and drops its needles in fall.
Tern Slim seabird that dives for small fish.
Trillium Spring wildflower with three leaves and three petals.

Maine Seasons and Outdoors 12

Blizzard Snowstorm with strong wind and little visibility.
Clambake Seaside feast of shellfish and corn steamed over hot rocks and seaweed.
Foliage Leaves; visitors come in autumn to see them turn red and gold.
Guide Licensed outdoors expert who leads fishing, hunting and canoe trips.
Ice Fishing Winter sport of catching fish through a hole cut in a frozen lake.
Kayak Small covered boat paddled with a double blade.
Mud Season Time in early spring when thawing dirt roads turn soft and sticky.
Nor'easter Coastal storm with strong winds from the northeast.
Skiing Sliding down snowy slopes, a winter draw of the western mountains.
Sunrise Daybreak, which crowds climb Cadillac Mountain to watch.
Toboggan Long flat sled; a famous chute for them is in Camden.
Wicked New England word for very.

How this list was compiled: Own work. Words and names about the state of Maine for grades 2 to 8: eight themed lists (cities and towns; coast, islands and lighthouses; rivers, lakes and mountains; state symbols; fishing, farms and forests; history and people; wildlife and trees; seasons and outdoors), Maine Favorites, an easy list of every word of 3 to 5 letters and a hard list of every word of 8 letters or more. Entries have 3 to 14 letters, and inside one list no word sits inside another, forwards or backwards. The grid keeps only the letters A to Z, so Nor'easter is hidden as NOREASTER and Isle au Haut as ISLEAUHAUT. Clues are our own wording; no clue repeats a word of four letters or more from its own entry. No brand, team or living person is listed, so the official soft drink is left out; the people named are figures of the state's past. The official symbols follow the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, Chapter 9 (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/1/title1ch9sec0.html), read 12 October 2026. Places, peoples, animals and plants were checked the same day against the English Wikipedia article for each entry (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine, license CC BY-SA 4.0). Dates and records were checked in a second work, Store norske leksikon (https://snl.no/Maine_-_delstat and its article on the moose): the capital and the largest city, statehood in 1820 as the 23rd state, the English colony of 1607, the border treaty of 1842, Katahdin as the highest mountain, the potato fields of Aroostook and the architect of the State House. Where no second work gave a date or a record, the clue leaves it out. Unofficial and not affiliated with the State of Maine; an educational puzzle, so check an official source before you rely on a fact. Licence: own work

How it works

This printable Maine word search opens with Augusta, Bangor, Bar Harbor, Katahdin, Kennebec, Chickadee, Moose and nine more favorites. Eight lists go further: towns, coast and lighthouses, rivers and mountains, state symbols, fishing and farm words, history, wildlife and seasons.

Read the full guide

Seven lighthouses and the words around them

Maine Coast, Islands and Lighthouses names Pemaquid, the one on the state quarter, with Bass Harbor, West Quoddy, Nubble, Owls Head, Marshall Point and Cape Elizabeth. Foghorn, Ledge, Breakwater and Tide Pool round out a harbor lesson.

A state flower that is not a flower

Maine State Symbols follows the state's own law: Chickadee, White Pine, Moose, Lobster, Tourmaline, Wild Blueberry, Whoopie Pie and Maple Syrup. The official flower is the Pine Cone, with its tassel.

Easy Maine has the 36 words of 3 to 5 letters, such as Bath, York, Saco, Loon, Clam, Buoy, Dory, Kelp and Moose.
Dirigo, the state motto, is Latin for I direct or I guide.

Questions and answers

Is this Maine word search free to print?

Yes. Print or save as PDF gives the puzzle with a Name and Date line, then the answer key on its own page. New puzzle deals another 16 of the favorites, so neighbors get different grids.

Is Acadia National Park in the puzzle?

Acadia is in the opening grid. The coast list adds Mount Desert, Cadillac, Schoodic, Thunder Hole, Jordan Pond, Somes Sound and Carriage Road.

Does the word search include Maine animals?

Maine Wildlife and Trees has 51 entries: Puffin, Loon, Eider and Osprey, Harbor Seal, Humpback and Porpoise, Black Bear, Lynx, Fisher and Marten, and trees from Balsam Fir to Tamarack. Moose and Lobster sit with the state symbols.

Are the Wabanaki nations in the word search?

Maine History and People has Wabanaki, Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Maliseet and Abenaki, each with a one-line clue, and Dawnland, the meaning of Wabanaki.

All 253 words

Maine Cities and Towns 40

Maine Cities and Towns, continued

Maine Coast, Islands and Lighthouses 34

Maine Rivers, Lakes and Mountains 25

Maine State Symbols 26

Maine Fishing, Farms and Forests 33

Maine History and People 32

Maine Wildlife and Trees 51

Maine Seasons and Outdoors 12

How it works

Seven lighthouses and the words around them

A state flower that is not a flower

Questions and answers

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