Searching for unknown words is a common interactional practice of learners in EFL classrooms. Language teachers exploit learner-initiated word searches in several ways to promote learning opportunities. However, it can be more challenging for pre-service teachers during their teaching practicum, as it is their first contact with students in a real classroom. Therefore, it is worth analysing how pre-service teachers manage word searches in classroom interaction during their practicum. For this reason, we video-recorded 43 lessons of 16 pre-service EFL teachers doing their practicum at a high school in Turkey. We analysed student-initiated word searches and the orientations of the pre-service teachers to them. The results indicate that word searches are collaborative practices shaped by momentary the pedagogical focus, and the use of L1. Teachers attend to the word search by choosing the appropriate candidate word or providing reformulation for the negotiated words. When they do not attend to the word search, they may let it pass or prioritize fluency. Those two pathways will be discussed in relation to learning opportunities and teachers' classroom interactional competence, and implications regarding EFL classrooms will be presented.