Rhyme Worksheet Activity Pack - Short Vowel Sounds - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to find which words rhyme in each row.

Rhyming means the words end with the same sound — especially the last part of the word (like “-at”, “-ad”, “-an”, etc.).

We’ll look at each picture and its matching word list, then circle the words that rhyme with the picture’s word.

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First row: Picture = taxi → word is “cab” (since it’s a taxi cab)
Words: fan, grab, bat, mad, tab, dad, ran, lab
Which ones rhyme with “cab”?
→ “cab” ends with “-ab”
Look for words ending in “-ab”:
- grab ✔
- tab ✔
- lab ✔
(“bat”, “mad”, “dad”, “fan”, “ran” don’t match)

So rhyming words: grab, tab, lab

Wait — but let’s double-check: Is “taxi” meant to be “cab”? Yes, because the picture is a taxi, and “cab” is short for taxi cab. So we’re looking for words that rhyme with “cab”.

Yes: grab, tab, lab all end with “-ab” sound.

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Second row: Picture = bear roaring → maybe “roar”? But no “roar” in list. Wait — perhaps it’s “bear”? No “bear” either. Let’s think differently.

Actually, looking at the words: tab, dad, Fran, sat, sad, wag, glad, lad

Maybe the picture is meant to represent “sad”? The bear looks angry or upset? Or maybe “glad”? Hmm.

Wait — perhaps the picture is not directly giving the word — maybe we need to pick any set of rhyming words from the list? But the instruction says: “Circle the words that rhyme!” — implying rhyme with the picture’s concept.

But actually, re-reading: The title is “Rhyme Time! - a” — so probably all rhymes are based on the short ‘a’ sound, and we just need to find groups within each box that rhyme together — NOT necessarily with the picture.

Wait — let me check the structure again.

Each row has:
- Left: a picture
- Right: 8 words

Instruction: “Circle the words that rhyme!”

It doesn’t say “rhyme with the picture” — it just says “circle the words that rhyme” — meaning, in each group of 8 words, find which ones rhyme with each other.

That makes more sense! Because some pictures don’t clearly give a word (like the scroll?).

So reinterpret: In each row, among the 8 words, circle the ones that form a rhyming group.

Let’s do that.

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Row 1: fan, grab, bat, mad, tab, dad, ran, lab

Group by ending sounds:

- “-an”: fan, ran → rhyme
- “-ab”: grab, tab, lab → rhyme
- “-at”: bat
- “-ad”: mad, dad → rhyme

So there are multiple rhyming pairs/groups.

But the task likely expects us to circle ALL words that have at least one rhyme partner in the list.

So:

fan ↔ ran → both should be circled
grab ↔ tab ↔ lab → all three
mad ↔ dad → both
bat → alone? No rhyme? “bat” and “cat” would rhyme, but “cat” isn’t here. So “bat” has no rhyme partner → don’t circle
Similarly, “sat” isn’t here — wait, in this row, “bat” is alone.

Wait — let’s list:

Words:
fan (-an)
grab (-ab)
bat (-at)
mad (-ad)
tab (-ab)
dad (-ad)
ran (-an)
lab (-ab)

So:

- -an: fan, ran → circle both
- -ab: grab, tab, lab → circle all three
- -ad: mad, dad → circle both
- -at: bat → no partner → leave uncircled

So circled: fan, grab, tab, dad, ran, lab, mad
Not circled: bat

But that seems messy. Maybe the worksheet intends for each row to have ONE main rhyming family? Let’s check other rows.

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Row 2: tab, dad, Fran, sat, sad, wag, glad, lad

Endings:

tab (-ab)
dad (-ad)
Fran (-an)
sat (-at)
sad (-ad)
wag (-ag)
glad (-ad)
lad (-ad)

So:

- -ad: dad, sad, glad, lad → 4 words → strong group
- -ab: tab
- -an: Fran
- -at: sat
- -ag: wag

Only “-ad” has multiple members → so circle: dad, sad, glad, lad

Others are alone → don’t circle

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Row 3: tag, pan, cab, can, ran, bag, man, mad

tag (-ag)
pan (-an)
cab (-ab)
can (-an)
ran (-an)
bag (-ag)
man (-an)
mad (-ad)

Groups:

- -an: pan, can, ran, man → 4 words → circle these
- -ag: tag, bag → 2 words → circle these
- -ab: cab → alone
- -ad: mad → alone

So circle: pan, can, ran, man, tag, bag

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Row 4: cat, bat, ham, tap, fat, yam, fan, map

cat (-at)
bat (-at)
ham (-am)
tap (-ap)
fat (-at)
yam (-am)
fan (-an)
map (-ap)

Groups:

- -at: cat, bat, fat → 3 words → circle
- -am: ham, yam → 2 words → circle
- -ap: tap, map → 2 words → circle
- -an: fan → alone → don’t circle

So circle: cat, bat, fat, ham, yam, tap, map

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Row 5: lap, cap, tap, mad, fat, fan, yam, flap

lap (-ap)
cap (-ap)
tap (-ap)
mad (-ad)
fat (-at)
fan (-an)
yam (-am)
flap (-ap)

Groups:

- -ap: lap, cap, tap, flap → 4 words → circle
- -ad: mad → alone
- -at: fat → alone
- -an: fan → alone
- -am: yam → alone

So only circle: lap, cap, tap, flap

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Now, going back — the instruction is “Circle the words that rhyme!” — so in each row, we circle every word that shares its ending sound with at least one other word in that same row.

Final per-row answers:

Row 1: fan, grab, tab, dad, ran, lab, mad
(bat is alone → skip)

Wait — earlier I said bat is alone, yes.

But let’s confirm:
fan & ran → rhyme
grab, tab, lab → rhyme
mad & dad → rhyme
bat → no rhyme → exclude

So 7 words circled.

But maybe the worksheet expects only one group per row? That might be simpler for kids.

Looking at the pictures:

Row 1: taxi → “cab” → so maybe they want words rhyming with “cab” → grab, tab, lab

Row 2: bear → maybe “sad”? → dad, sad, glad, lad

Row 3: fan → “fan” → pan, can, ran, man

Row 4: hat → “hat” → cat, bat, fat (but “hat” not in list — closest is “cat”, “bat”, “fat”)

Row 5: scroll/map? → “map” → lap, cap, tap, flap

This interpretation matches the pictures better!

And it’s simpler for students: each picture suggests a word, and you circle words that rhyme with THAT word.

Let’s try that approach — it’s more aligned with early education worksheets.

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Revised Plan: For each row, identify the word suggested by the picture, then circle words in the list that rhyme with it.

Row 1: Taxi → “cab”
Rhyme with “cab” (-ab): grab, tab, lab
→ Circle: grab, tab, lab

Row 2: Bear roaring → could be “sad” (upset bear) or “glad”? But “sad” is in list. Also, “dad”, “glad”, “lad” rhyme with “sad”.
If picture implies “sad”, then rhyme with “sad” (-ad): dad, sad, glad, lad
→ Circle: dad, sad, glad, lad

Row 3: Fan → “fan” (-an)
Rhyme with “fan”: pan, can, ran, man
→ Circle: pan, can, ran, man

Row 4: Hat → “hat” (-at)
In list: cat, bat, fat → all rhyme with “hat”
Also “tap”, “map” are -ap, not -at
“ham”, “yam” are -am
“fan” is -an
So only cat, bat, fat rhyme with “hat”
→ Circle: cat, bat, fat

Row 5: Scroll/map → “map” (-ap)
Rhyme with “map”: lap, cap, tap, flap
→ Circle: lap, cap, tap, flap

This is clean, simple, and matches the pictures.

I think this is what the worksheet intends.

Final Answer per row:

Row 1: grab, tab, lab
Row 2: dad, sad, glad, lad
Row 3: pan, can, ran, man
Row 4: cat, bat, fat
Row 5: lap, cap, tap, flap

Note: In Row 2, “Fran” is capitalized — probably a name, not intended to rhyme. “wag” is different sound.

In Row 4, “tap” and “map” are -ap, while “hat” is -at — close but not exact rhyme in phonics for beginners? Actually, “hat” and “tap” do NOT rhyme — different vowel-consonant pattern. “Hat” = /hæt/, “tap” = /tæp/ — same vowel but different final consonant cluster? Wait, no — both are CVC, but “hat” ends with T, “tap” ends with P — so not rhyming.

Standard rhyming: same ending sound from the vowel onward.

“hat” and “cat” — both end with “-at” → rhyme
“tap” and “map” — both end with “-ap” → rhyme
But “hat” and “tap” — “-at” vs “-ap” — different → do NOT rhyme.

So for Row 4, if picture is “hat”, then only words ending in “-at” rhyme: cat, bat, fat

“tap” and “map” are -ap → not included.

Similarly, “ham” and “yam” are -am → not included.

Perfect.

So final answer:

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Final Answer:
Row 1: grab, tab, lab
Row 2: dad, sad, glad, lad
Row 3: pan, can, ran, man
Row 4: cat, bat, fat
Row 5: lap, cap, tap, flap