The -ead word family
8 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-ead". 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 -ead words
- bead
- dead
- head
- lead
- read
- bread
- spread
- thread
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-ead" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: bead.
- Swap the first sound and read again — dead, head, lead.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-ead word family worksheet
Read each -ead word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -ead family?
bead, dead, head, lead, read, bread, spread, thread — 8 words in total, all ending in "-ead".
What is a -ead word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-ead". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -ead word family?
Write "-ead" 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 -ead game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
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