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Making words from larger words quiz illustration | Kaleidoscope

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How many words can you make from the letters in 'kaleidoscope'?

Making Words from Larger Words 1

These word puzzles challenge pupils to spot smaller words hidden inside longer ones. It sharpens spelling, boosts vocabulary, and develops reasoning skills for the 11 Plus exam.

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Fascinating Fact:

Dictionaries are a great tool for these puzzles because they reveal unexpected word possibilities.

In 11 Plus Verbal Reasoning, these puzzles test a pupil’s ability to find words within words. They develop flexible thinking and reinforce spelling and vocabulary skills.

Key Terms

Root word: The main part of a word, without any prefixes or suffixes added.
Compound word: A word formed by joining two smaller words, like football.
Lexicon: A collection of words known and used in a language.

Parents may also find our 11 Plus sample questions guide useful when helping children practise these puzzles.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

How do you solve making words from larger words puzzles?

Look for smaller, familiar words inside the larger word. Breaking it into syllables or scanning letter groups can help spot possible answers.

Why are these puzzles good for the 11 Plus exam?

They test vocabulary, spelling, and quick thinking, all of which are important skills for success in the Verbal Reasoning part of the 11 Plus.

What are some tips to practise these puzzles at home?

Use a dictionary to find hidden words, set time challenges with long words, and play spotting games with everyday words around the house.

Try These Related Quizzes

Example:
From the word IMPORTANCE, form new words having the following meanings (the number of letters in the words is given by the number of dashes, so you do not have to use all the letters):

Tighten: _ _ _ _ _
Two parts of the eye: _ _ _ _ _ _ AND _ _ _ _ _ _
A form of transport: _ _ _ _ _
Writer of verse: _ _ _ _
Close: _ _ _ _

'Cramp' can be made, and it is a five-letter word meaning ‘tighten’.
Both ‘cornea’ and ‘retina’ are parts of the eye that can be made from the letters.
The form of transport is 'train' (not 'car' as there are five letters in the answer, rather than three).
A writer of verse is a 'poet', and the required letters are all there.
The word meaning ‘close’ (rhymes with ‘dose’, not ‘rose’) is 'near'.

1 .

Using the letters from the word ADAPTATION, make a 5-letter word meaning ‘a paved outdoor area’.

Piazza

Inapt

Point

Patio

Both ‘point’ and ‘inapt’ can be made from the letters, but neither of them mean ‘a paved outdoor area’. ‘Piazza’ does, but that word cannot be formed from the letters. The answer is ‘patio’

2 .

Using the letters from the word TABLECLOTH, make a 6-letter word meaning ‘enough to cause death’.

Bleach

Tablet

Cattle

Lethal

Whilst imbibing bleach, taking too many tablets, or being trampled by cattle could cause death, ‘lethal’ is the only one of the options which means ‘enough to cause death’ (think of the phrase ‘a lethal dose’)

3 .

Using the letters from the word RACECOURSE, make a 6-letter word meaning ‘rare’.

Accrue

Sparse

Accuse

Scarce

Both ‘accuse’ and ‘accrue’ are 6-letter words which can be formed from the given letters, but neither of them mean ‘rare’. ‘Sparse’ does mean ‘rare’ but it cannot be formed from the letters in ‘racecourse’. The answer is ‘scarce’

4 .

Using the letters from the word KALEIDOSCOPE, make an 8-letter word meaning ‘marked with lots of small spots’.

Freckled

Specked

Speckled

Eclipsed

‘Eclipsed’ can be formed form the given letters, but it does not mean ‘marked with lots of small spots’. ‘Specked’ and ‘freckled’ do, but ‘specked’ is only 7 letters and ‘freckled’ contains an ‘F’ and an ‘R’ (‘kaleidoscope’ does not). The answer is ‘speckled’

5 .

Using the letters from the word VILLAINOUS, make a 5-letter word meaning ‘a type of stringed musical instrument’.

Violin

Viola

Viols

Vials

All four options can be made from the given letters, however, ‘vials’ are not musical instruments. ‘Viols’ are, but that is the plural of ‘viol’ so refers to more than one. ‘Violin’ would work, except that is has 6 letters, rather than 5. The correct answer is ‘viola’

6 .

Using the letters from the word NAGGINGLY, make a 6-letter word meaning ‘graceful’.

Gangly

Giggly

Gainly

Niggly

‘Gainly’ is an old-fashioned word which means ‘graceful or elegant’ (you would see it most often today in the word ‘ungainly’ which means ‘awkward or clumsy’)

7 .

Using the letters from the word PACHYDERM, make a 4-letter word meaning ‘copied or mimicked’.

Aped

Herd

Made

Ream

All of the four options are 4-letter words which can be made from the given letters, however, only one of them (‘aped’) means ‘copied or mimicked’, so that is the answer

8 .

Using the letters from the word EARDRUMS, make a 5-letter word meaning ‘thought or pondered’.

Mused

Amused

Marred

Armed

Only two of the options are 5-letter words, and only one of the options matches the definition. The answer is ‘mused’

9 .

Using the letters from the word QUADRANGLE, make a 4-letter word meaning ‘stick together’.

Dual

Rule

Glue

Rend

All of the four options are 4-letter words which can be made from the given letters. However, only one of them means ‘stick together’, and that is ‘glue’. ‘Rend’ is an antonym of ‘glue’ (it has an opposite meaning) because it means ‘tear apart’

10 .

Using the letters from the word HABITUAL, make a 4-letter word meaning ‘drag’.

Halt

Haul

Lath

Bath

All four options are genuine 4-letter words which can be made from the given letters. Only ‘haul’ matches the definition though. A ‘lath’ is a thin, flat strip of wood

Author: Stephen O'Hara and Ian Miles