CVC Word List by Vowel (PDF)

A compact master list of three-letter words sorted by short vowel — the page to reach for when you need a quick set of decodable words for any activity.

What’s inside

• Five pages, one per short vowel.
• Short A — 40 words (cab, can, cap, cat, dad, dam, fan…); Short E — 20 words (bed, beg, bet, fed…); Short I — 38 words (bib, bid, big, bin…).
• Short O and Short U pages follow in the same five-column grid.

Every word in this PDF (155)

Handy for checking the list fits your child before printing, or for making your own games.

cab, can, cap, cat, dad, dam, fan, fat, gas, gap, had, ham, hat, jab, jam, lap, mad, man, map, mat, nap, pad, pal, pan, pat, rag, ram, ran, rap, rat, sad, sag, sap, sat, tab, tag, tan, tap, van, wag, bed, beg, bet, fed, get, hen, jet, leg, let, men, met, net, pen, pet, red, ten, vet, wed, yes, bib, bid, big, bin, bit, dig, dim, dip, fig, fin, fit, fix, hid, him, hip, hit, kid, kin, lid, lip, lit, mix, nip, pig, pin, pit, rib, rid, rim, rip, sit, six, tin, wig, win, wit, zip, bog, cob, cod, cog, cop, cot, dog, dot, fog, fox, got, hog, hop, hot, jog, log, lot, mob, mop, not, pop, pot, rob, rod, rot, sob, sod, top, bud, bug, bun, bus, but, cub, cup, dug, fun, gum, gun, gut, hub, hug, hum, hut, jug, mud, mug, nut, pug, pun, pup, rub, rug, run, sub, sum, sun, tub, tug

How to use it

1. Use one vowel's page at a time, reading across the rows.
2. Highlight the words your child reads instantly; circle the ones that needed sounding out and revisit them.
3. Pick 5 words from the page for a quick dictation: you say, your child writes.
4. Use the lists to make your own games — bingo cards, a word hunt, flashcards.

Who it’s for

Ages 4–6, in Stage 3 once all five short vowels are known. Adults: it's also a handy reference for building your own practice.

Where it fits: Stage 3 — Blending & Segmenting (CVC Words)

Goes well with

• CVC Word List: 200+ Words by Vowel + Free Printable
• Word Families List: 23 Rime Families with 200+ CVC Words
• CVC Write & Read — all 5 vowels