CVC Words: Lists, Pictures and Printable Practice
Updated November 2026 · 33 free printables
CVC words are three-letter words made of a consonant, a short vowel and another consonant: cat, bed, pig, dog, sun. They are usually the first real words children sound out, because every letter makes its most common sound. Short a: cat, hat, map, bag, fan. Short e: bed, hen, net, web, ten. Short i: pig, wig, pin, six, lip. Short o: dog, log, fox, pot, mop. Short u: bug, cup, rug, sun, nut.
Below you will find a printable list of 60 CVC words sorted by vowel, plus CVC worksheets, word family pages and short vowel pages that all use CVC words with clear, colorful pictures. Start with one vowel at a time, then mix them once your child reads them easily.
All 33 CVC Words: Lists, Pictures and Printable Practice, One by One
Every page in this collection is listed below. Each one is described in detail on its own theme page, linked next to it.
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1. CVC Sound Boxes: Short A Pictures
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2. Write the CVC Word for Each Picture
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3. Missing Vowel CVC Worksheet
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4. CVC Words: Write the Missing First Letter
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5. CVC Words: Write the Missing Last Letter
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6. Match CVC Words to Pictures
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7. CVC Words List by Short Vowel
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8. Circle the Matching CVC Word
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9. Unscramble the CVC Words
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10. CVC Sentences: Read and Circle the Picture
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11. Read and Draw: CVC Phrases
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12. -at Word Family Worksheet
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13. -an Word Family Worksheet
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14. -ap Word Family Worksheet
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15. -ag Word Family Worksheet
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16. -ed Word Family Worksheet
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17. -en Word Family Worksheet
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18. -et Word Family Worksheet
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19. -ig Word Family Worksheet
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20. -in Word Family Worksheet
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21. -ip Word Family Worksheet
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22. -og Word Family Worksheet
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23. -op Word Family Worksheet
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24. -ot Word Family Worksheet
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25. -ug Word Family Worksheet
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26. -un Word Family Worksheet
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27. -ut Word Family Worksheet
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28. Short A Vowel Worksheet
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29. Short E Vowel Worksheet
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30. Short I Vowel Worksheet
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31. Short O Vowel Worksheet
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32. Short U Vowel Worksheet
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33. Short Vowel Sort Worksheet
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Tips for parents and teachers
- Tap one finger per sound, then sweep under the word to blend: c-a-t, cat.
- Stretch continuous sounds like mmm and sss so the sounds touch each other.
- Build CVC words with magnetic letters, then change one letter at a time: cat, hat, hot.
Did you know?
- CVC stands for consonant-vowel-consonant.
- English has five vowel letters, a, e, i, o and u, and y sometimes works as a vowel too.
- A word like duck is still a short vowel word, but ck spells one sound, so it is often taught right after CVC words.
Fun ways to use your printables
- Write CVC words on paper plates and hop to the word you hear.
- Play CVC bingo with the 60-word list: call a word, find it, check the box.
- Hide picture cards around the room and let your child spell each one they find.
How to print
Click Download PDF and print at 100% on US Letter or A4 paper. Page 1 is the worksheet and page 2 is the answer key, so choose “page 1” in the print dialog if you only want the practice page. Every worksheet is free for home, homeschool and classroom use, so print as many copies as you need.
Frequently asked questions
What does CVC stand for?
Consonant, vowel, consonant. In a CVC word the vowel in the middle is short, as in cat, pen, sit, hot and cup.
How do I teach a child to read CVC words?
Say each sound while touching its letter (c, a, t), then slide your finger under the word and blend the sounds into one word. Sound boxes and the blending arrows on our worksheets show exactly this.
Which CVC words should we learn first?
Words with continuous sounds such as m, s, f and n are easiest to stretch: sat, man, fan, sun. Short a words are a common starting point because a is a strong, clear vowel sound.
Is 'the' a CVC word?
No. 'The' does not follow the short vowel pattern, so it is learned as a sight word. CVC words always have a short vowel sound in the middle.