The -ug word family
13 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-ug". 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 -ug words
- bug
- dug
- hug
- jug
- mug
- pug
- rug
- tug
- drug
- plug
- slug
- snug
- shrug
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-ug" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: bug.
- Swap the first sound and read again — dug, hug, jug.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-ug word family worksheet
Read each -ug word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -ug family?
bug, dug, hug, jug, mug, pug, rug, tug, drug, plug, slug, snug, shrug — 13 words in total, all ending in "-ug".
What is a -ug word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-ug". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -ug word family?
Write "-ug" 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 -ug game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
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