Words That Start with the Letter M for Kids
Check out our list of letter M words, letter M activities, and tips for teaching the letter M sound and words to your child.
Our collection of letter M words is designed for for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and elementary students and aims to help them learn the letter M sound and grow their vocabulary with a list of letter M words.
If some words are too challenging for your child, read them aloud, emphasizing the beginning letter M sound. Simply print out our list of letter M words to work on with your child, along with our letter M pictures to help your child gain an understanding of what these new words mean.
Pick and choose the words you feel are appropriate for your child, and remember that this list can be used to familiarize your child with the sound of the letter M, as a vocabulary list, or as a spelling list.
Older children can practice reading the lists of letter M words and their definitions independently or with help from an adult. Each word is also used in a sentence to help children understand the word’s meaning. Our lists include words that your child may already know, as well as words that will challenge them.
You can further enhance your child’s learning with our list of letter M activities for children and find tips on teaching new words and sounds to your child at the bottom of this page.
Lists of Letter M Words
Select the words that you think are suitable for your child. Keep in mind that these lists of words can be used to help familiarize your child with the sound of the letter M, act as a list for vocabulary building, or be used for spelling practice. Younger children will likely need you to read the list to them.
3-Letter M Words
☐ mad: feeling anger. “He was mad after losing his keys.”
☐ man: an adult male. “The man walked his dog in the park.”
☐ map: a diagram of part of the Earth that shows physical features, like mountains, lakes, and roads. “They used a map to find the park.”
☐ mat: a piece of material placed on a floor near a doorway. “She wiped her shoes on the mat.”
☐ men: plural of man, referring to adult males. “The men were talking loudly.”
☐ met: past tense of meet. “They met at the coffee shop.”
☐ mob: a large crowd of people. “The mob of children cheered loudly at the assembly.”
☐ mom: another term for mother. “His mom baked cookies for the class.”
☐ mop: a tool for cleaning floors that typically consists of a bundle of thick loose strings or a sponge attached to a stick. “He used a mop to clean the spill.”
☐ mud: soft, sticky matter that forms when dirt mixes with water. “The children played in the mud.”
☐ mug: a large cup typically used for hot drinks. “She drank coffee from her favorite mug.”
☐ mow: to cut down grass with a machine. “She will mow the lawn on Saturday.”
Simple Preschool Letter M Words
☐ main: most important or largest. “The main show will start after these performers.”
☐ maze: a network of paths designed as a puzzle that you have to find your way out of. “The children ran through the maze.”
☐ meal: the food served at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. “We had a delicious meal at the restaurant.”
☐ meat: the flesh of an animal, typically eaten as food. “They had meat and vegetables for dinner.”
☐ milk: a white liquid produced by mammals (like a cow) that serves as food for their young. “The baby goat drank milk from its mother.”
☐ moon: the natural satellite of the Earth, visible at night. “The moon was full and bright.”
☐ mute: not able or unwilling to speak. “The character in the movie was mute.”
☐ myth: a story, person, or thing that is not real. “They read a myth from ancient Greece.”
Kindergarten Letter M Words
☐ mare: an adult female horse. “The mare grazed quietly in the field.”
☐ mark: a spot made by a person, typically on paper, with a pen or pencil. “He left a mark on the paper with his pen.”
☐ mass: the amount of matter or substance that makes up an object and has no definite shape. “He learned about the mass of planets in science class.”
☐ mesh: material made of a network of wire or thread. “The mesh bag held all the beach toys.”
☐ mild: gentle in nature or behavior; not spicy. “She prefers mild salsa because it’s not too spicy.”
☐ mill: a building with machinery for grinding grain into flour. “They visited a mill to see how flour was made.”
☐ moat: a deep, wide ditch surrounding a castle, fort, or town, typically filled with water. “They crossed the drawbridge over the moat to enter the castle.”
☐ mule: an animal that is a cross between a donkey and a horse. “The mule carried the supplies up the mountain path.”
Elementary Letter M Words
☐ machine: a device, usually with motors or moving parts, that can do a job. “The machine moved the large rock.”
☐ mechanic: a person who fixes cars. “His car was being repaired by the mechanic.”
☐ merit: the quality of being particularly good or worthy. “His ideas have great merit and should be considered.”
☐ mirage: an image that looks real but is not really there. “The desert traveler was fooled by a mirage.”
☐ model: a three-dimensional representation of a person, thing, or proposed structure. “He built a model of the solar system for his project.”
☐ motor: a machine that converts energy into motion or power. “The motor in the car needs to be replaced.”
☐ museum: a building that stores and displays objects important to history, art, or science. “They visited the museum to see the dinosaur fossils.”
☐ mustard: a yellow or brown paste made from the seeds of a mustard plant, used as a condiment or a spice. “He put mustard on his sandwich.”
Letter M Food Words
☐ macaroon: a small, sweet cookie that can be made from coconut. “He had a macaroon after lunch.”
☐ mahi-mahi: a kind of fish that people like to eat. “They had mahi-mahi for dinner.”
☐ mango: a sweet, juicy fruit that is yellow inside. “She enjoyed eating a mango as a snack.”
☐ manicotti: big pasta tubes filled with cheese. “She helped her dad make manicotti.”
☐ maple syrup: a sweet liquid from trees that tastes good on pancakes. “They poured maple syrup on their pancakes.”
☐ marmalade: a type of jam made from oranges. “He spread marmalade on his toast.”
☐ marzipan: a sweet food made from almonds that’s used to decorate cakes. “She made a flower from marzipan for her cake.”
☐ matzo: a flat, crispy bread made from flour and water. “They ate matzo at the meal.”
☐ millet: a small, round grain that birds and people can eat. “Millet is in her bird feeder.”
☐ miso: a paste made from fermented beans that’s used to make soup in Japan. “He tasted miso soup for the first time.”
☐ mozzarella: a soft cheese that melts well on pizza. “They added extra mozzarella cheese to the pizza.”
☐ muffin: a small, baked cake that is often eaten for breakfast. “She had a blueberry muffin for breakfast.”
☐ mulberry: a berry that can be red, white, or black. “They picked mulberries in the garden.”
☐ mutton: meat that comes from sheep. “They had mutton in their stew.”
Letter M Animal Words
☐ macaw: a colorful bird that can talk. “The macaw said ‘hello’ from its cage.”
☐ mallard: a type of duck often seen in ponds. “The mallard ducks swam together.”
☐ manatee: a large, gentle sea animal sometimes called a sea cow. “The manatee swam slowly in the water.”
☐ manta ray: a big fish that looks like it has wings. “The manta ray glided through the ocean.”
☐ marmot: a furry animal that lives in the mountains. “The marmot whistled to warn others.”
☐ meerkat: a small, alert animal that stands on its hind legs. “The meerkat looked out for danger.”
☐ minnow: a tiny fish found in freshwater. “She saw minnows in the creek.”
☐ mole: a small animal that digs tunnels underground. “The mole popped out of the ground.”
☐ mongoose: a small, fast animal known for fighting snakes. “The mongoose chased the snake away.”
☐ monkey: a playful animal that swings from trees. “The monkey ate a banana.”
☐ moose: a large animal with big antlers that lives in the forest. “They saw a moose while hiking.”
☐ mosquito: a tiny insect that buzzes and can bite. “A mosquito buzzed in her ear.”
☐ mouse: a small, quick animal with a long tail. “The mouse scurried across the floor.”
☐ muskox: a large, shaggy animal with a strong smell. “The muskox used its thick coat to stay warm.”
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Letter M Object Words
☐ magnet: a piece of metal that can pull things made of iron toward itself. “He used a magnet to pick up the nails.”
☐ mailbox: a box outside a house where letters are delivered. “He checked the mailbox for new letters.”
☐ marble: a small, hard ball used in games by children. “He played a game with colorful marbles.”
☐ mask: something you wear over your face to cover it. “He wore a superhero mask to the party.”
☐ mattress: the soft part of a bed that you sleep on. “The new mattress was very comfortable.”
☐ medal: a small metal disc given as a reward for winning or doing well. “She earned a medal in the art competition.”
☐ microscope: a tool that makes very small things look bigger. “They looked at leaves under the microscope in class.”
☐ mirror: a piece of glass that reflects images. “She saw her reflection in the mirror.”
☐ mittens: gloves that cover the entire hand but do not have separate finger parts. “She wore her warm mittens in the snow.”
☐ motorcycle: a motorized two-wheeled vehicle that is faster than a bicycle. “He watched the motorcycle zoom down the road.”
Letter M Places Words
☐ mall: a large building with many stores where people shop for clothes, toys, and other things. “They spent the afternoon at the mall shopping.”
☐ manor: a large house with a lot of land around it. “The manor had a big garden and lots of rooms.”
☐ marina: a place where boats are kept in the water and people can dock them. “They walked along the marina to look at the boats.”
☐ market: a place where people buy and sell food and other items. “They went to the market to buy vegetables.”
☐ marsh: a wet area of land that is covered with shallow water. “They saw frogs and birds in the marsh.”
☐ meadow: a large field covered with grass and wildflowers. “They played games in the sunny meadow.”
☐ metro: a train system that runs underground in big cities. “They took the metro to get downtown quickly.”
☐ mine: a place where minerals or coal are dug out of the ground. “The old mine was deep and dark.”
☐ motel: a place where travelers can sleep and park their cars. “They stayed at the motel during their road trip.”
Letter M Nature and Environment Words
☐ mangrove: a type of tree that grows in coastal water, helping to protect shorelines. “They explored the mangrove forest by boat.”
☐ maple: a type of tree, known for its leaves and syrup. “They collected sap from the maple tree to make maple syrup.”
☐ mesa: a flat-topped hill with steep sides. “They visited a mesa that overlooked the valley.”
☐ mineral: a natural substance found in rocks. “He collected minerals of different colors and shapes.”
☐ mist: a fine spray or light fog that is often seen in the mornings. “The morning mist covered the hills.”
☐ monsoon: a season of heavy rains in some parts of the world. “The monsoon rains made the plants grow quickly.”
☐ moraine: a mass of rocks and sediment carried down and deposited by a glacier. “The moraine was left behind when the glacier melted.”
☐ moss: a short and soft green plant that grows in damp, shady places. “The moss felt like a carpet under their feet.”
☐ mountain: a very large and high hill that’s often rocky. “They went hiking up the mountain during their vacation.”
☐ mound: a small hill or pile of earth or stones. “The ants built a large mound in the yard.”
☐ mulch: material like leaves or bark used to cover and protect soil. “They spread mulch around the flowers to keep weeds from growing.”
☐ mushroom: a type of fungus that can grow on the ground and looks like an umbrella. “They found a circle of mushrooms in the forest.”
Letter M Emotions and Traits
☐ merry: feeling happy and cheerful. “They felt merry during the holiday party.”
☐ meek: being quiet and gentle, not wanting to fight. “He was meek and always let others choose first.”
☐ moody: having feelings that change often and quickly. “He was moody in the morning but happy by lunchtime.”
☐ modest: not liking to brag about oneself. “She was modest about her success at school.”
☐ mystified: feeling very confused or puzzled. “He was mystified by the magic trick.”
☐ mindful: remembering to be aware of something. “She was mindful to say thank you.”
☐ motivated: feeling eager to do something or achieve a goal. “He was motivated to finish his homework early.”
☐ miserable: feeling very unhappy or uncomfortable. “She felt miserable after losing her favorite toy.”
☐ merciful: showing kindness and willingness to forgive others. “The teacher was merciful and gave them a second chance.”
☐ meticulous: being very careful about doing something in a very accurate and exact way. “He was meticulous in coloring within the lines.”
☐ mellow: relaxed and calm. “The music was mellow and soothing.”
☐ mischievous: enjoying playing tricks and not always obeying rules. “The mischievous kitten knocked over the plant.”
☐ majestic: having or showing impressive beauty or dignity. “The majestic mountains stood tall and proud.”
Letter M Action Words
☐ march: to walk with steady, regular steps together with others. “The band will march in the parade.”
☐ marvel: to be filled with wonder or astonishment. “They marvel at the beautiful sunset whenever they see it.”
☐ measure: to find out the size, length, or amount of something. “Let’s measure the room before buying a new rug.”
☐ melt: to change from solid to liquid by heating. “The ice cream will melt if it’s not in the freezer.”
☐ mend: to repair something that is broken or torn. “Can you mend the hole in my sock?”
☐ mention: to speak about something briefly. “Did she mention the time of the meeting?”
☐ mimic: to copy someone’s actions or words. “He can mimic the teacher’s voice perfectly.”
☐ mix: to combine two or more things together. “She likes to mix different colors of paint.”
☐ moan: to make a long, low sound because of pain or sadness. “The pain of bumping her toe made her moan.”
☐ mount: to get up on something, such as a horse or a bike. “He mounted his bike and rode down the street.”
☐ move: to change position or place. “Let’s move the chair closer to the window.”
☐ multiply: to increase in number, especially in mathematics. “When you multiply four and five, you get twenty.”
☐ murmur: to say something in a low, soft voice. “They murmur secrets to each other.”
Free Printable Letter M Words Lists
Download and print our PDFs of the letter M word lists to review with your children. One list includes all of our letter M words and the other lists features our letter M words along with their definitions and the words used in a simple sentence.
Letter M Words with Pictures
Preschoolers and kindergarteners will appreciate having illustrations to look at while learning new letter M words. As you read the words aloud to them, draw their attention to the letter M sound as you pronounce the word. Point at the corresponding picture as you say the letter M word. You can choose from our printable letter M words with pictures to color or letter M words with illustrations.
Letter M Activities
Letter M Song:
Learning about the letter M is especially fun when it’s a song kids can listen, dance, and sing to.
Letter M Worksheets:
These free printable letter M worksheets can help children learn to recognize the letter M, say its name and the sound it makes, and start learning how to write it, too.
Letter M Activities
M-Themed Munching
Combine learning with a few delicious snacks as you munch on foods that start with the letter M, such as mangoes, marshmallows, mozzarella cheese, and macaroni. Find even more options with our list of Letter M food words above.
Matching Game with M Words
Create cards with pictures and words that start with M, like ‘mouse’, ‘mountain’, or ‘mask’. Use these cards to play a memory matching game, encouraging your child to say the words aloud as they turn over the cards.
Letter M ‘I Spy’ Game
Wander through your house with your child taking turns hunting for objects that start with the letter M, such as mugs, mittens, Mom, the microwave, and more. On each turn, describe the object you see until the other person guesses it correctly.
Tips for Teaching Letter M Words
- Be a Model
Have your child watch your face as you make the M sound, or use a mirror so they can see their own lips. You can also pinch your thumb and index fingers together next to your mouth to show your child how to fully close their lips.
- Use Visuals
When working on new letters and letter sounds, make an effort to have an image of the letter nearby, helping children associate the new letter sound with the letter they see.
- Use Multiple Teaching Approaches
Introducing a new letter sound in a variety of ways can help children better understand and get familiar with it. Combine our list of letter M words with the letter M song, worksheets, and activities to approach this new letter sound in many different ways.
Additional Resources
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