Which Word Does Not Belong? Worksheets for Kindergarten
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Prints on one US Letter page; the answer key is a separate page. Print at 100% / "Actual size" on US Letter paper. Free for personal and classroom use.
Skill: Sorting common words into categories and finding the one that does not fit
Teaching tips and what to try next
A good fit for kindergartners who know everyday nouns and can listen to four words in a row. Some rows have more than one sensible answer if a child invents a clever group, so accept a well-explained choice and then look for the expected one together. Listening for sounds instead of meanings is the next step in Rhyming Words: Circle the Rhyme.
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About this worksheet
Sorting words into groups is an early vocabulary skill. When a child decides that dog, cat and cow go together and spoon does not, they are thinking about what words mean and how ideas connect. Kindergartners are expected to sort common objects into categories, and this kindergarten worksheet turns that sorting into a quick word game.
The page has ten rows. Each row shows four familiar words, such as red, blue, green and bed. Three of the words belong to the same group, such as animals, colors, fruits, shapes, drinks or things you wear, and one does not. Children circle the word that does not belong. The odd word appears in a different spot from row to row, so children have to think about every word rather than guess a pattern. Because most kindergartners are still learning to read, the sheet is meant to be read aloud by a grown-up.
How to use it: read the four words slowly, then ask, "Which three go together? Why?" Saying the group name out loud is the most valuable part, so give your child time to find the words. Some rows have a sneaky word that rhymes or looks like the others, such as bed next to red, which helps children listen to meaning instead of sound. If a row is hard, act it out: can you eat it, wear it or ride in it?
The answer key circles each odd word and names the group. For more early word play, try our Rhyming Words: Circle the Rhyme worksheet. For sorting by shape, try our Sort and Count Shapes worksheet.