Digraph WH Worksheets
Free printable digraph wh phonics worksheets. Five practice activities: decodable passage, word sort, phrasing cards, rapid naming chart, and word search.
Grade: K-1
Phase 2: Blends & Digraphs
Pattern: WH digraph (initial)
what
when
where
which
while
whim
whip
whiz
wham
whack
whale
wheat
1 Decodable Reading Passage
A short, decodable story embedding digraph wh words. Students read the passage then highlight all the target words.
Ben's Sniff Hunt
Skill: Digraph WH • Sight Words: the, is, a, and, to, was, it, she, he, they
Illustrated mini-book
Mom got a bad whiff in the hall. "What is that smell?" she said. "Where is it from?"
"I will help," said Ben. "I will find what it is."
Ben set off on a sniff hunt. He sniffed the bin. He sniffed Gus's bed. Gus sniffed it too. Ben sniffed his own socks. It was not them!
When Ben got to his bag, he got a big whiff. In the bag was his white lunch box. It still had old fish and milk in it!
"Oh no! That is the smell!" said Ben.
Ben dumped the whole mess in the bin. He scrubbed the box while Gus sat with him. Then he set the bag out in the sun.
Mom sniffed the hall. "No bad whiff! Thank you, Ben," she said.
Circle or highlight all the words with the WH sound. How many did you find?
This story is part of Level 2. Get every Level 2 illustrated mini-book in one print-ready file ($14) →
2 Digraph WH Words
The words this story set practices, in the two groups used by the word sort.
Question Words (7)
what, when, where, which, why, who, whom
Other WH Words (13)
while, whim, whip, whiz, wham, whack, whale, wheat, wheel, whiff, whisk, white, whole
- Phrases to read
- what is it · when is it · which is his · who was it · why is it wet · whip it up · he is a whiz · a white whale · the big wheel
- RAN chart words
- what, while, wham, wheel, why
- Sight words
- the, is, a, and, to, was, it, she, he, they
3 CK, NG and WH Picture Worksheets
CK, NG and WH words to read, match and write, with pictures. Each PDF has its answer key on page 2.
Find the Word
Look at each picture and circle the right word out of three.
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Circle the Picture
Read a word, then circle its picture out of three.
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Which Sentence?
Look at a picture and pick the sentence that matches it.
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Read and Fill In
Read a short story, then fill in the missing words.
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Sound Boxes
Say each picture and write its sounds in the boxes.
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Read and Match
Read each word, then draw a line to its picture.
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4 Story Worksheets
4 ready-to-print PDFs for this story's digraph wh words. Each one opens as its own file.
Word Sort
Cut-apart word cards to sort: Question Words or Other WH Words. Answer key on page 2.
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Phrasing Cards
Short phrases to cut out and read smoothly, for fluency.
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Word Search
Find 12 digraph wh words in the grid. Answer key on page 2.
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RAN Chart
A grid of five words to read fast, with room to record three timed tries.
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📖 More Digraph WH Stories
A new decodable story with the same digraph wh sounds — each comes with its own set of worksheets.
Free Printable Digraph WH Worksheets
The WH digraph represents a unique sound that often challenges kindergarten and first-grade learners. Appearing at the beginning of words like what, when, where, and why, this digraph is particularly tricky because its sound is very close to the /w/ sound of the letter 'w' alone. Children frequently omit the subtle /h/ sound, pronouncing "whale" as "wale" or "whisk" as "wisk." This confusion stems from the visual similarity and the fact that 'h' is often silent in other contexts. Mastering this initial WH sound is crucial for accurate decoding and encoding, especially as students encounter more complex words like "while" or "whole," where the initial sound significantly alters meaning and pronunciation. Explicit instruction helps differentiate the WH sound from the simple /w/, preventing common mispronunciations and improving reading fluency.
Our worksheets are designed to help students master the initial WH digraph through engaging activities. After reading "Pip's Whisk Mix," encourage your child to identify and highlight all the WH words in the decodable passage, reinforcing their recognition in context. The word sort activity asks students to categorize words like "what," "wheel," and "white," helping them visually and phonetically distinguish WH words from other initial sounds. Use the phrasing cards to practice reading WH words in short, meaningful phrases, building fluency and comprehension. Finally, the Rapid Automatic Naming (RAN) chart for WH words provides a fun and effective way to build automaticity and quick recall, ensuring students can effortlessly recognize and pronounce words such as "whim," "whip," and "whiz" as they encounter them in their reading.
For more early literacy resources, explore our sight word flashcards, tracing worksheets, handwriting worksheets, and coloring pages.
