Lookup operations are performed on ternary content-addressable memory (TCAM) entries, with error protection provided. Groups of TCAM entries are programmed such that each of its entries differ by more than a predetermined calculated count of ones distance of k bits, where k>0. Lookup operations are performed on these entries using a lookup word in a manner to detect k or less differences in entries within groups to identify a matching entry or no matching entry from each group. These matching entries are then verified using a corresponding error code to identify which entries are a full hit, a suspected hit, or a miss. One of the full and suspected hits is determined in a predetermined manner and identified as the lookup result (or a miss is the lookup result if there are no such entries).