Crossword maker for teachers
Turn any unit vocabulary into a printable crossword with an answer key on page 2. Free for teachers, no sign-up, no watermark — share a link students can solve online.
Water Cycle Vocabulary
NameDate
Across
- 1 Holds most of Earth's water (5)
- 4 Visible mass of tiny droplets (5)
- 6 Plants releasing water from leaves (13)
- 8 Slow river of ice (7)
- 9 Amount of water vapor in the air (8)
- 10 Vapor cooling into droplets (12)
- 12 Water stored under the surface (11)
Down
- 2 Liquid water turning into vapor (11)
- 3 Water flowing over land into streams (6)
- 5 Rain, snow, sleet or hail (13)
- 7 Water gathering in oceans and lakes (10)
- 11 Water in gas form (5)
- OIRAPVNTOEALiquid water turning into vapor
- TEOSCNAIDONNVapor cooling into droplets
- IIOTACRNTPIPERain, snow, sleet or hail
- LCLOCNOITEWater gathering in oceans and lakes
- UFFNORWater flowing over land into streams
- RUDTONERAWGWater stored under the surface
- IASNRPRTTOIANPlants releasing water from leaves
- LODUCVisible mass of tiny droplets
- PORAVWater in gas form
- ACONEHolds most of Earth's water
- CIARGLESlow river of ice
- TMIHYIDUAmount of water vapor in the air
Word bank
- CLOUD
- COLLECTION
- CONDENSATION
- EVAPORATION
- GLACIER
- GROUNDWATER
- HUMIDITY
- OCEAN
- PRECIPITATION
- RUNOFF
- TRANSPIRATION
- VAPOR
Water Cycle Vocabulary — Answer key
Across
- 1 Holds most of Earth's water (5) OCEAN
- 4 Visible mass of tiny droplets (5) CLOUD
- 6 Plants releasing water from leaves (13) TRANSPIRATION
- 8 Slow river of ice (7) GLACIER
- 9 Amount of water vapor in the air (8) HUMIDITY
- 10 Vapor cooling into droplets (12) CONDENSATION
- 12 Water stored under the surface (11) GROUNDWATER
Down
- 2 Liquid water turning into vapor (11) EVAPORATION
- 3 Water flowing over land into streams (6) RUNOFF
- 5 Rain, snow, sleet or hail (13) PRECIPITATION
- 7 Water gathering in oceans and lakes (10) COLLECTION
- 11 Water in gas form (5) VAPOR
- OIRAPVNTOEAEVAPORATIONLiquid water turning into vapor
- TEOSCNAIDONNCONDENSATIONVapor cooling into droplets
- IIOTACRNTPIPEPRECIPITATIONRain, snow, sleet or hail
- LCLOCNOITECOLLECTIONWater gathering in oceans and lakes
- UFFNORRUNOFFWater flowing over land into streams
- RUDTONERAWGGROUNDWATERWater stored under the surface
- IASNRPRTTOIANTRANSPIRATIONPlants releasing water from leaves
- LODUCCLOUDVisible mass of tiny droplets
- PORAVVAPORWater in gas form
- ACONEOCEANHolds most of Earth's water
- CIARGLEGLACIERSlow river of ice
- TMIHYIDUHUMIDITYAmount of water vapor in the air
More options: word bank, hints, layout
14 × 15 grid · 12 words
Tips for a great crossword maker for teachers
A crossword is one of the most efficient ways to review vocabulary because it reverses the usual direction of a quiz: students read the definition and must retrieve and spell the word. That retrieval is what makes new terms stick. Paste your unit list as "term - definition" and the maker builds the grid, numbers it and writes the Across and Down lists.
Print or save the PDF and you get the puzzle on page 1 and a filled answer key on page 2. For a digital assignment, click Copy link: the whole puzzle is stored in the link itself, so students open the same grid, type their answers and press Check to see which letters are wrong — no logins and no student data collected.
Ten to twenty terms is the sweet spot for a class period. Longer terms connect more easily, so science and social studies lists usually lay out well; if a term is left out, the warning tells you which one and why.
Recommended settings
- Paste "term - definition" lists
- Answer key prints on page 2
- Share a link for online solving
- 10–20 terms per puzzle
How to make a crossword puzzle
- Type your words and clues. Enter a title, then one answer per line followed by a dash and its clue, like "Whale - Largest animal on Earth". Up to 40 words.
- Let the maker build the grid. Every word is connected to the others, the squares are numbered and the Across and Down clue lists are written for you. Click New layout for another arrangement.
- Choose the options. Add a word bank, show or hide letter counts, or switch to Word scramble mode to turn the same list into an unscramble worksheet.
- Print, save or play. Click Print / Save PDF for the puzzle on page 1 and the answer key on page 2, download a PNG, or click Play online and Check answers.
FAQ
How do I use this crossword maker for teachers?
Print or save the PDF and you get the puzzle on page 1 and a filled answer key on page 2. For a digital assignment, click Copy link: the whole puzzle is stored in the link itself, so students open the same grid, type their answers and press Check to see which letters are wrong — no logins and no student data collected.
How many words can a crossword have?
Up to 40 words, each up to 25 letters. Ten to twenty words is the best size for one printed page. The grid grows to fit, up to 25 squares wide and tall.
Why was one of my words left out?
Every word in a crossword must cross another word, so a word needs at least one letter in common with the rest of the list and a free spot where it fits. The maker tells you which words could not be connected; click New layout or add a word that shares letters with them.
How do I print the crossword with the answer key?
Click Print / Save PDF. Page 1 is the puzzle with numbered squares and the Across and Down clues; page 2 is the answer key with every square filled in. Choose "Save as PDF" in the print dialog to keep a file.
Can students solve the crossword online?
Yes. Click Play online to type into the grid, then Check to mark wrong letters in red. Copy link creates a web address that contains the whole puzzle, so students open exactly the same crossword.