Mixed CVC Words

Free printable mixed cvc phonics worksheets. Four practice activities: decodable passage, word sort, phrasing cards, and rapid naming chart.

Grade: K Phase 1: Foundations Pattern: CVC words with all short vowels
cat bed sit hot bug pen pig top cup red dog fin

1 Decodable Reading Passage

A short, decodable story embedding mixed cvc words. Students read the passage then highlight all the target words.

Tim and the Bug
Skill: Mixed CVC  •  Sight Words: the, is, a, and, to, was, it, on, his, her
Tim and the Bug coloring page illustration
Coloring page included in PDF
Tim was very hot. He ran to a big log. "I will sit here," said Tim. But a big red bug was on the log! "Oh no," said Tim. "I can not sit with a bug." Tim got his net and a cup. He let the bug hop into the net. Then he put the bug in the cup. "Now I can sit," said Tim. He sat on the log and had a rest.
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Tim and the Bug decodable reader mini-book
Free decodable reader Read “Tim and the Bug” as an illustrated mini-book → The full printable story + coloring page, using only mixed cvc sounds your child has learned.

2 Word Sort

Cut out the word cards and sort them into the correct columns: Short A/E Words vs Short I/O/U Words.

Short A/E Words
Short I/O/U Words
cat
bed
sit
hot
bug
pen
pig
top
cup
red
dog
fin
run
net
hug
web
bus
rip
log
mud
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3 Phrasing Practice Cards

Practice reading these phrases for fluency. Cut out the cards and read them quickly and smoothly.

the red bug
a dog on a log
sit in the mud
a pig and a cup
run to the bed
hot on top
a net and a web
hug the cat
the big red bus
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4 RAN Chart (Rapid Naming)

Read each word in the grid as quickly as you can. Time yourself and try to beat your best time!

Decodable RAN Chart — Mixed CVC
hot
bug
hot
bug
bed
bug
cat
bed
cat
pig
cat
bed
pig
hot
pig
cat
Target words: cat, bed, pig, hot, bug
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5 Word Search

Find and circle the mixed cvc words hidden in the grid. Words go across, down, and diagonally — a fun way to reinforce mixed cvc word recognition.

Mixed CVC Word Search
T
Q
Z
P
E
N
R
L
H
P
H
T
J
F
M
B
U
O
S
Q
Z
Z
T
S
B
E
D
D
K
A
P
P
J
O
S
D
F
V
O
O
I
I
B
Z
P
B
V
I
Z
G
C
K
S
I
T
B
S
I
N
M
Y
U
I
M
Q
U
R
E
D
D
N
O
P
X
Q
G
H
O
T
N
P
I
G
H
T
P
E
A
C
V
X
H
M
H
H
C
A
T
P
D
BED BUG CAT CUP DOG FIN HOT PEN PIG RED SIT TOP
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📖 Decodable Readers for Mixed CVC

Next step: once your child can sound out these words, have them read a matching decodable mini-book. Each Mixed CVC reader is a printable story + coloring page using only sounds they've learned.

← GR Blend Worksheets View All Phonics Skills Short U CVC Words →

Free Printable Mixed CVC Words

Mixed CVC words are fundamental for kindergarteners, representing a crucial step where children blend three sounds to form a word, using all five short vowels. This pattern follows initial sound recognition and precedes digraphs or blends. The trickiness for young learners often lies in differentiating the subtle differences between short vowel sounds, especially /a/ versus /u/ (as in "cat" vs. "cup" or "bug"), or /e/ versus /i/ ("bed" vs. "sit" or "fin"). Children might mispronounce "hot" as "hut" or struggle to isolate the middle sound in words like "dog" or "run." Mastering this requires careful listening and precise articulation of each sound, then fluidly blending them together without adding extra sounds. Our mixed CVC worksheets are designed to reinforce these essential skills. When working with "Pip in the Mud," encourage your child to first identify and say each sound in words like "mud," "bug," and "rip" before blending them. The decodable passage provides context for reading these words in sentences, building fluency. Use the word sort activity to group words by their middle vowel sound, helping to differentiate them, perhaps sorting "bed," "red," and "web" together, then "sit," "pig," and "fin." Phrasing cards help children practice reading short CVC phrases naturally, while the RAN chart builds automaticity for quick recall of these foundational words, making reading smoother and more confident.

For more early literacy resources, explore our sight word flashcards, tracing worksheets, handwriting worksheets, and coloring pages.