The -um word family
11 words that rhyme
Every word here ends in "-um". 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 -um words
- gum
- hum
- bum
- mum
- sum
- chum
- drum
- plum
- scum
- slum
- strum
How to run a five-minute session
- Say the ending "-um" three times together.
- Add one sound in front and read: gum.
- Swap the first sound and read again — hum, bum, mum.
- Read the whole list top to bottom, then shuffled.
- Finish by having your child write two of the words from memory.
Printable sheet
-um word family worksheet
Read each -um word aloud, then trace it. Circle your two favourites and use them in a sentence.
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
Common questions
What words are in the -um family?
gum, hum, bum, mum, sum, chum, drum, plum, scum, slum, strum — 11 words in total, all ending in "-um".
What is a -um word?
A word that ends with the letters and sound "-um". Because the ending never changes, a child only has to decode the first sound.
How do you teach the -um word family?
Write "-um" 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 -um game
Sound Wheels spins the first sound while the ending stays put — kids read the whole family without noticing.
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