Rhyming Words: Circle the Rhyme
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Skill: Recognizing and matching rhyming words
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Free for personal and classroom use. Print at 100% / "Actual size" on US Letter paper.
About this worksheet
Hearing which words rhyme is one of the first steps toward reading. When two words rhyme, they share the same ending sound, even if the letters look different. This kindergarten worksheet gives children twelve short practice items. Each item shows a target word, such as cat, and three choices. Children circle the word that rhymes with the target. All of the words are familiar one-syllable words, so children can focus on listening for matching endings instead of sounding out long spellings.
Some rhymes share a spelling pattern, like cat and hat. Others rhyme by sound alone, which is still correct for this skill. The wrong choices are close but end with a different sound, so children have to listen carefully rather than guess.
How to use it: say the target word and each choice out loud. Ask, "Do they sound the same at the end?" Clapping once for the beginning and once for the ending can help children notice where the rhyme lives. If your child is unsure, stretch the ending: "c-at, h-at." After finishing, invent silly rhymes together with your child's name or a favorite animal.
The answer key circles the correct rhyme for every item. This worksheet supports Common Core standards RF.K.2.a (recognize and produce rhyming words) and RF.K.2 (demonstrate understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds). Pair it with our Beginning Sounds worksheet for more early phonemic awareness practice at home or in a literacy center.
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Beginning Sounds: Match the Letter