Spelling Words for 3rd Graders

A complete list of spelling words for 3rd graders — our 3rd grade spelling words list pairs every word with a kid-friendly definition and example sentence, so children learn what each word means, not just how to spell it. These are the words a typical 3rd grader covers across the school year, grouped into weekly sets you can print. Words are split into 5 sets of about 15 — assign one set a week. Each set has its own printables built from that set’s words: a word list (with definitions and example sentences), a word search, flashcards, and a fill-in-the-blank worksheet.

R-controlled vowels

15 words
bird
A small animal with feathers and wings that can fly.
“The little bird sang a happy song outside my bedroom window.”
third
Coming after second in order or place.
“She finished third in the race and won a shiny medal.”
world
The whole earth and everyone living on it.
“People from all over the world speak many different languages.”
turn
To move around in a different direction.
“Please turn the doorknob slowly so it does not squeak.”
hurt
To feel pain or cause pain to something.
“I fell off my bike and hurt my knee badly.”
corner
The place where two edges or streets meet.
“The store sits on the corner near our busy school.”
morning
The early part of the day after sunrise.
“Every morning I eat breakfast before I walk to school.”
garden
A place where flowers or vegetables are grown.
“We planted tomatoes and carrots in our sunny backyard garden.”
star
A bright light seen in the night sky.
“We saw one bright star twinkling above the dark trees.”
her
Belonging to a girl or woman.
“The girl grabbed her backpack and ran to catch the bus.”
girl
A young female child.
“The girl in the red hat waved happily at me.”
fork
A tool with points used for eating food.
“Use your fork to eat the salad on your plate.”
nurse
A person who helps take care of sick people.
“The kind nurse gave me a bandage for my cut.”
farm
Land where people grow crops or raise animals.
“The farm had cows, chickens, and a big red barn.”
burn
To damage something with fire or too much heat.
“Be careful not to burn your hand on the hot stove.”

Suffixes -ed and -ing

15 words
stopped
came to an end or quit moving
“The car stopped at the red light so everyone stayed safe.”
running
moving fast on your feet
“The dog was running across the park chasing a bright ball.”
hoping
wishing for something to happen
“She was hoping for sunny weather on her birthday party day.”
planned
decided what to do ahead of time
“We planned a fun trip to the zoo last weekend.”
shining
giving off bright light
“The sun was shining brightly over the calm blue lake.”
clapped
hit your hands together to make noise
“The crowd clapped loudly after the amazing school play ended.”
smiling
showing happiness with your mouth
“The baby was smiling at her mom during the whole meal.”
swimming
moving through water with your body
“The kids were swimming in the pool all afternoon yesterday.”
hopped
jumped on one or both feet
“The rabbit hopped quickly across the green grassy field.”
baking
cooking food in an oven
“Grandma is baking warm cookies for us this rainy morning.”
jogged
ran at a slow, steady pace
“Dad jogged around the block before eating his healthy breakfast.”
waving
moving your hand to say hello
“She was waving to her friends from the moving school bus.”
skipped
moved with quick little hops
“The happy child skipped down the sidewalk to meet her friend.”
riding
sitting on something that moves
“He was riding his new bike down the steep hill fast.”
grinning
smiling in a big, wide way
“The boy was grinning after winning the fun spelling contest.”

Plurals

15 words
leaves
Flat green parts that grow on trees and plants.
“In autumn the colorful leaves fall gently onto the ground.”
wolves
Wild animals that look like large gray dogs.
“The hungry wolves howled loudly at the bright full moon.”
boxes
Containers with flat sides used to hold things.
“We packed all our toys into three big cardboard boxes.”
brushes
Tools with bristles for cleaning, painting, or combing.
“She washed the paint from her brushes after art class.”
babies
Very young children who cannot walk or talk yet.
“The two babies slept quietly in their soft warm cribs.”
cities
Very large towns where many people live and work.
“We visited three busy cities during our summer road trip.”
berries
Small round juicy fruits that grow on bushes.
“We picked sweet red berries and ate them for breakfast.”
shelves
Flat boards on walls that hold books or things.
“He placed the new library books on the wooden shelves.”
dishes
Plates and bowls used for eating your food.
“After dinner I helped wash the dirty dishes in the sink.”
foxes
Small wild animals with bushy tails and pointy ears.
“Two red foxes darted quickly across the snowy field.”
knives
Sharp tools used for cutting food and other things.
“The chef kept his sharp knives locked in a safe drawer.”
ponies
Small horses that children often like to ride.
“The little ponies trotted happily around the grassy fenced pasture.”
glasses
Cups made of clear material for drinking liquids.
“Mom filled two glasses with cold lemonade for us.”
puppies
Baby dogs that are playful and very cute.
“The tiny puppies chased each other around the sunny yard.”
loaves
Whole shaped pieces of baked bread.
“The baker sold fresh warm loaves early each morning.”

Compound words

15 words
outside
not indoors; in the open air
“We played outside all day because the weather was so nice.”
someone
a person you may not know
“Someone left a backpack under the classroom table.”
everything
all the things there are
“She packed everything she needed for the long trip.”
sidewalk
a paved path for people to walk on
“We rode our bikes along the bumpy sidewalk to school.”
playground
an outdoor area with swings and slides
“The kids raced to the playground during morning recess.”
afternoon
the time after noon before evening
“We ate lunch and then napped all afternoon.”
sometimes
once in a while; not always
“Sometimes we visit Grandma on the weekend.”
another
one more of the same kind
“May I please have another cookie for dessert?”
cupcake
a small sweet cake for one person
“She frosted a pink cupcake for the birthday party.”
rainbow
colorful arc of light after rain
“A bright rainbow appeared once the rain finally stopped.”
bedroom
a room where you sleep at night
“I cleaned my bedroom before my friends came over.”
popcorn
corn kernels that puff when heated
“We ate warm popcorn while watching the funny movie.”
football
a game played by kicking or throwing a ball
“My brother scored during the exciting football game today.”
sunshine
the bright light from the sun
“Warm sunshine filled the park on that lovely day.”
toothbrush
a small brush for cleaning teeth
“I grabbed my toothbrush and washed my teeth before bed.”

Frequently misspelled

15 words
friend
a person you like and enjoy spending time with
“My best friend and I always play together during recess.”
favorite
the one you like most of all
“Blue is my favorite color to use when I paint.”
February
the second month of the year
“My birthday is in February, right after the winter break.”
different
not the same as something else
“These two shirts look different because one has stripes.”
important
something that matters a lot
“It is important to look both ways before crossing.”
believe
to think something is real or true
“I believe my dog understands every word I say.”
enough
as much as you need
“We have enough snacks for everyone in the whole class.”
tomorrow
the day after today
“Tomorrow we are going to visit my grandma's house.”
beautiful
very pretty and nice to look at
“The sunset over the lake was so beautiful tonight.”
because
a word telling the reason for something
“I wore my boots because the ground was very muddy.”
school
a place where children go to learn
“We learn math and reading every day at school.”
people
more than one person
“Many people came to watch the parade downtown.”
caught
grabbed something moving through the air
“She caught the ball right before it hit the ground.”
once
one single time
“I visited the ocean once when I was little.”
through
going in one side and out the other
“We walked through the tunnel to reach the other park.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How many spelling words are on a 3rd grade list?

A third-grade spelling list usually runs 10 to 15 words per week, or roughly 40 words per month. This page covers a representative set across the main third-grade patterns.

What are the hardest 3rd grade spelling words?

Third graders most often misspell irregular high-frequency words like friend, favorite, February, different, and believe, which do not follow a simple spelling rule.

Do these 3rd grade spelling words come with definitions?

Yes — every word on the list has a kid-friendly definition and an example sentence, so 3rd graders learn what each word means, not just how to spell it. They appear on the printable Word List and on the flashcards.

Can I use these for a classroom spelling bee?

They work well for an informal classroom or grade-level spelling bee — read each word aloud and have students spell it, using the definition and example sentence as clues. (Official events like the Scripps National Spelling Bee use their own, more advanced word lists.)

More spelling word lists

2nd Grade Spelling Words  ·  4th Grade Spelling Words  ·  5th Grade Spelling Words  ·  6th Grade Spelling Words

For the sound patterns behind these words, see our phonics worksheets; for high-frequency reading words, see sight words.