Rhyming Words: Basic Skills Practice | Printable Skills Sheets - Free Printable

Let's solve the task step by step.

The goal is to circle all the words that rhyme with the first word in each row. We'll go through each row one by one and identify which words rhyme with the first word in that row.

---

Row 1: clean, mean, bean, leap

- First word: clean (pronounced /kliːn/)
- Rhyme check:
- mean → /miːn/ → same ending sound → rhymes
- bean → /biːn/ → same ending sound → rhymes
- leap → /liːp/ → ends with "p", not "n" → does NOT rhyme

✔ Rhyming words: mean, bean

---

Row 2: dark, shark, card, park

- First word: dark (/dɑːrk/)
- Rhyme check:
- shark → /ʃɑːrk/ → same ending → rhymes
- card → /kɑːrd/ → same ending → rhymes
- park → /pɑːrk/ → same ending → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: shark, card, park

---

Row 3: stand, hand, fast, band

- First word: stand (/stænd/)
- Rhyme check:
- hand → /hænd/ → same ending → rhymes
- fast → /fæst/ → ends with "t", different → no
- band → /bænd/ → same ending → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: hand, band

---

Row 4: grow, cow, mow, low

- First word: grow (/ɡroʊ/)
- Rhyme check:
- cow → /kaʊ/ → ends with "ow" but pronounced differently → no
- mow → /moʊ/ → same as "grow" → rhymes
- low → /loʊ/ → same ending sound → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: mow, low

---

Row 5: tree, knee, start, three

- First word: tree (/triː/)
- Rhyme check:
- knee → /niː/ → ends with "ee" but pronounced differently → no
- start → /stɑːrt/ → doesn't rhyme → no
- three → /θriː/ → same ending as "tree" → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: three

---

Row 6: nice, kind, rice, mice

- First word: nice (/naɪs/)
- Rhyme check:
- kind → /kaɪnd/ → ends with "d", not "s" → no
- rice → /raɪs/ → same ending → rhymes
- mice → /maɪs/ → same ending → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: rice, mice

---

Row 7: eat, cheat, cold, beat

- First word: eat (/iːt/)
- Rhyme check:
- cheat → /çiːt/ → same ending → rhymes
- cold → /koʊld/ → no → no
- beat → /biːt/ → same ending → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: cheat, beat

---

Row 8: swing, ring, sing, sew

- First word: swing (/swɪŋ/)
- Rhyme check:
- ring → /rɪŋ/ → same ending → rhymes
- sing → /sɪŋ/ → same ending → rhymes
- sew → /soʊ/ → no → no

✔ Rhyming words: ring, sing

---

Row 9: frog, fog, beep, log

- First word: frog (/frɔːɡ/)
- Rhyme check:
- fog → /fɑːɡ/ → similar but not exact → no
- beep → /bip/ → no → no
- log → /lɔːɡ/ → ends with "g", but pronunciation differs → no

Wait — actually, frog, fog, and log are often considered to rhyme in phonetic terms due to the "-og" pattern, but let’s look at actual pronunciation:

- frog = /frɔːɡ/
- fog = /fɑːɡ/
- log = /lɔːɡ/

These are close but not perfect rhymes. However, in early reading and phonics, they are often grouped as rhyming because of the "og" spelling and similar sounds.

But strictly speaking, "frog" and "log" both have /ɔːɡ/, while "fog" has /ɑːɡ/. So "frog" and "log" are closer.

But "beep" clearly does not rhyme.

So:
- fog → /fɑːɡ/ → different vowel → no
- beep → /bip/ → no
- log → /lɔːɡ/ → same ending → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: log

> Note: This depends on dialect. In some dialects, "frog" and "fog" may sound more alike. But for standard American English, only log rhymes perfectly.

However, "frog" and "log" both end in /ɔːɡ/, so they do rhyme.

Fog has /ɑːɡ/ — different vowel.

So:
- frog → base word
- log → /lɔːɡ/ → matches → rhymes
- fog → /fɑːɡ/ → different → no
- beep → /bip/ → no

✔ Rhyming words: log

But wait — "frog" and "log" both have /ɔːɡ/ — yes, they rhyme.

So log rhymes with frog.

But what about fog? It's a common confusion. Let's clarify:

- frog = /frɔːɡ/
- fog = /fɑːɡ/ → different vowel → not a perfect rhyme
- log = /lɔːɡ/ → same as frog → rhymes

✔ Only log rhymes with frog

---

Row 10: smell, tell, ball, spell

- First word: smell (/smel/)
- Rhyme check:
- tell → /tel/ → same ending → rhymes
- ball → /bɔːl/ → ends with "l", but different vowel → no
- spell → /spel/ → same ending → rhymes

✔ Rhyming words: tell, spell

---

Final Answer Summary:

Now circle the words that rhyme with the first word in each row:

1. clean → mean, bean
2. dark → shark, card, park
3. stand → hand, band
4. grow → mow, low
5. tree → three
6. nice → rice, mice
7. eat → cheat, beat
8. swing → ring, sing
9. frog → log
10. smell → tell, spell

---

✔ Final Circled Words:

| Row | Words to Circle |
|-----|------------------|
| 1 | mean, bean |
| 2 | shark, card, park |
| 3 | hand, band |
| 4 | mow, low |
| 5 | three |
| 6 | rice, mice |
| 7 | cheat, beat |
| 8 | ring, sing |
| 9 | log |
|10 | tell, spell |

> Note: For row 9, only log rhymes with frog based on standard pronunciation. While "fog" might seem similar, it does not rhyme perfectly.

This completes the task!