The -am word family
12 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-am". Keep the ending on the page and change only the sound at the front — that one trick turns a single decoded word into a whole list your child can read.
All -am words
- bam
- dam
- ham
- jam
- ram
- yam
- clam
- slam
- swam
- gram
- scam
- tram
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-am" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: bam.
- Swap the first sound and read again — dam, ham, jam.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-am word family worksheet
Read each -am word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -am family?
bam, dam, ham, jam, ram, yam, clam, slam, swam, gram, scam, tram — 12 words in total, all ending in "-am".
What is a -am word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-am". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -am word family?
Write "-am" once and keep it fixed. Change only the letter in front, one at a time, and have your child read each new word aloud. Ten words in five minutes is normal.
Play the -am game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
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