The -ife word family
5 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-ife". 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 -ife words
- life
- wife
- knife
- rife
- strife
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-ife" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: life.
- Swap the first sound and read again — wife, knife, rife.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-ife word family worksheet
Read each -ife word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -ife family?
life, wife, knife, rife, strife — 5 words in total, all ending in "-ife".
What is a -ife word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-ife". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -ife word family?
Write "-ife" 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 -ife game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
Play freeTeacher or school? See classroom pricing