Free Printable Decodable Words Lists
Try these free decodable word lists to help improve your child’s reading skills.
What are Decodable Words?
Decodable words are those that emergent readers can sound out by following the rules of phonics. At first, new readers can only decode very simple words–typically those that follow the basic rules they’ve learned. Over time, they learn more rules and can decode a wider array of words.
Once a child knows all the applicable rules of phonics, regular words are fully decodable. For example, to decode the word “dog,” a child can segment the sounds into “/d/ + /o/ + /g/” and then blend them together to make the word.
Decoding is taught as early as preschool or kindergarten and goes hand-in-hand with phonics. Along with language comprehension, decoding is a critical part of reading comprehension.
Free Decodable Words Lists
Practicing decoding is a wonderful way to help children grow their ability to sound out and decipher new words, and the following word lists are a great tool.
Below, you’ll find free printable decodable word lists for kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. For more resources on decoding check out our list of 23 Decoding Activities for Early Elementary Children.
Decodable Words List for Kindergarten
Kindergarteners mainly focus on one-syllable decodable words that fit the consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern. Learn more about kindergarten phonics here.
2-Letter Decodable Words
| ad | am | an | at |
| ax | if | in | is |
| it | ma | on | ox |
| pa | up | us |
CVC Decodable Words
| SHORT A | |||||
| bad | bag | bat | cab | can | |
| cap | cat | dad | fan | fat | |
| had | ham | hat | jam | mad | |
| man | map | mat | nap | pat | |
| rag | ran | rat | sag | sat | |
| tab | tag | tap | van | ||
| SHORT E | |||||
| bed | beg | bet | fed | get | |
| hen | jet | led | leg | let | |
| men | met | net | pen | pet | |
| red | set | ten | wet | yes | |
| SHORT I | |||||
| big | bin | bit | did | dig | |
| fin | fit | hid | him | hit | |
| kid | lid | lit | pig | pin | |
| pit | rid | sit | wig | win | |
| SHORT O | |||||
| box | cop | dog | dot | fog | |
| fox | got | hog | hop | hot | |
| job | jog | log | lot | mob | |
| mom | mop | not | pop | pot | |
| rob | rod | rot | sob | top | |
| SHORT U | |||||
| bug | bun | bus | but | cub | |
| cup | cut | dug | fun | gum | |
| hug | hum | hut | jug | mud | |
| mug | nut | pup | rub | rug | |
| run | sub | sun | tug | tub |
Decodable Words List for First Grade
In first grade, students add more advanced phonics concepts like silent-E, consonant blends, and multi-syllable words. Here’s more about phonics for first grade students.
Consonant Blends Decodable Words List
| BEGINNING BLENDS | |||||
| blank | blossom | blend | cling | clip | |
| crab | flag | flat | flip | flop | |
| glad | grab | plot | plug | skin | |
| skunk | slug | stem | stop | swim | |
| twig | twin | trip | |||
| ENDING BLENDS | |||||
| brick | desk | disk | last | pond | |
| risk | sand | send | test | ||
| BEGINNING & ENDING BLENDS | |||||
| black | clock | plant | snack | stamp | |
| twist |
Decodable CVCe Words
| bike | bite | bone | cake | cane | cone |
| cute | date | dive | five | game | gave |
| hide | hole | hose | joke | kite | lake |
| late | line | make | mine | mute | nine |
| nose | note | pile | pine | pipe | pole |
| rake | ride | ripe | rose | same | side |
| tame | tape | time | vote | wipe | zone |
Two-Syllable Decodable Words List
| basket | concrete | contract | escape |
| expand | extinct | explode | figure |
| habit | insect | invite | jacket |
| pavement | planet | puppet | reptile |
| rocket | subtract | trumpet |
You don’t need specialized software to teach spelling, but using a tool like ABCmouse can make it a lot easier! Our app offers interactive and visually stimulating content that reinforces word recognition and reading skills through games and engaging activities.
Check Out ABCmouse –>
Decodable Words Lists for Second Grade
Second graders tackle trickier concepts like vowel teams (including diphthongs), prefixes and suffixes, and r-controlled vowels. Discover more about second grade phonics here.
Vowel Teams Decodable Words List
| EA Vowel Team | ||||
| bead | clean | deal | feast | |
| heal | hear | lead | meat | |
| neat | read | real | sneak | |
| weak | ||||
| AI Vowel Team | ||||
| braid | brain | chain | fail | |
| jail | paid | plain | ||
| train | ||||
| UI Vowel Team | ||||
| bruise | cruise | juice | suit | |
| OA Vowel Team | ||||
| boat | coat | float | loaf | |
| throat | ||||
| IE Vowel Team | ||||
| thief | brief | niece | ||
| EE Vowel Team | ||||
| cheek | feed | sleep | speed | |
| week | wheel |
Decodable Words with Prefixes and Suffixes
| PREFIX | |||||
| decide | dislike | mislead | preheat | protect | |
| reheat | rerun | retie | rewrite | unhook | |
| unlock | unpack | unplug | unsafe | ||
| SUFFIX | |||||
| acted | calmly | cloudy | drinkable | endless | |
| golden | harden | helpful | hopeless | jumped | |
| jumping | jumper | kindness | lasting | meeting | |
| playful | rainy | shorten | shortly | useful | |
| watched | wider | windy | wooden |
Decodable R-Controlled Vowel Words
| bird | birth | blur | born | burn | burnt |
| burp | burst | caper | corn | curl | farm |
| fewer | firm | first | fork | germ | girl |
| hard | horse | hurt | mark | north | nurse |
| part | shirt | short | sister | skirt | skort |
| star | start | stir | surf | term | third |
| thirst | torn | turf | turn | twirl | verb |
| winter | yard |
ABCmouse’s expert advice review process:
Our team of ABCmouse Curriculum Experts, made up of talented professionals in early childhood education and development, take a close look at educational content and learning claims. They put in the effort to make sure our information is accurate and current. We have a certified educator or another respected authority review the content, matching their expertise with the topic at hand. They’ll make sure the content is thorough and follows the latest research and educational guidelines. If they think we can make things even better, they’ll chat with our editorial team, and we’ll make those improvements right away. Only after a reviewer gives their thumbs-up does a piece of content get the official stamp of approval in the byline.
-
What is a Vowel Team?
Learn about vowel teams and how they help young readers decode words. Discover teaching tips, examples of vowel team combinations, and engaging activities to make learning…
-
Short Vowel Words for Kids
Explore short vowel word lists and fun activities to help kids improve reading and spelling skills. Includes printable short vowel word lists, teaching tips, and engaging…
-
Long O Word Lists
Explore long o words to boost phonics skills! Discover spelling patterns, practice tips, fun activities, and printable word lists featuring beginner to advanced terms. Teach the…
-
Long U Word Lists
Explore 250+ long U words with printable lists and engaging activities for kids. Learn about the eight spelling patterns of long U, including VCe, -ue, -ew,…
-
Long E Word Lists
Discover long E words to help your child identify and practice the long E sound (/ē/) in spelling patterns like -ee, -ea, and more. Access beginner…
-
Long I Word Lists
Discover a free printable list of 140+ long I words to help children practice phonics. Explore examples, sentences, and activities for mastering spelling patterns like -igh,…
