Cl Blend Words Worksheet: Read and Circle!
Reading and circling words that begin with the 'cl' consonant blend helps children ages 4-6 hear that two consonants pressed together, like c and l, still combine into a single connected sound at the start of a word. This is a step up from single-letter phonics, requiring children to blend two consonant sounds smoothly rather than sounding them out separately. Recognizing blends like 'cl' in words such as 'clap' or 'cloud' builds the decoding fluency needed to read longer, less predictable words with confidence.
Part of the pack
Month 5: Play-based English Math Science | Ages 5-6Curriculum
How to use this worksheet
Read each word on the page aloud together first, exaggerating the 'cl' sound at the start so your child hears both letters blending into one sound. Have your child point to and read each word themselves, sounding it out slowly if needed. Ask them to circle only the words that begin with the 'cl' blend, leaving the other words unmarked. Once finished, go back through the circled words together, having your child say each one aloud one more time.
Materials needed
- Pencil
- Crayons
Extension activities
- •Have the child write the 'cl' words they found on a separate sheet of paper.
- •Draw pictures to match each 'cl' word, like a cloud, a clock, or a clown.
- •Brainstorm a longer list of 'cl' words together, such as 'clean,' 'climb,' or 'clip.'
- •Clap your hands together while saying 'cl' words aloud to physically connect the sound to the word 'clap.'
- •Sort a mixed pile of word or picture cards into 'cl' words and non-'cl' words.
Tips for parents and teachers
Consonant blends are tricky because children often want to say each letter separately rather than gliding them together, so model the smooth blended sound slowly and repeatedly. If your child circles a word that only contains a 'c' or only an 'l,' point out that both letters need to appear right at the start together. Provide assistance as needed and keep sessions short, since sounding out blended words takes real concentration at this age.

Written by
Hemsweta Jain · Teacher Cheena
MBA and Early Childhood Educator, teaching since 2014 · Founder of RaisoActive, Mumbai
Every RaisoActive worksheet is designed and checked by the founder before publishing.
Published · Last reviewed
Related worksheets
Circle the 'pr' Blend Words Worksheet for Preschoolers
Children ages 4-5 practice recognizing the 'pr' consonant blend at the beginning of words, like 'prize' and 'print', which requires blending two distinct sounds together fluently. Circling only the correct 'pr' words trains both auditory sound recognition and careful visual scanning of printed text. This kind of blend practice moves early readers beyond single-letter phonics into decoding more complex word beginnings.
Gr Blend Words Worksheet: Circle the 'gr' Words!
Learning to recognize the 'gr' consonant blend, as in 'grass,' 'green,' or 'grape,' trains children's ears to hear two consonant sounds pressed together at the start of a word, a more advanced phonics skill than single-letter sounds. For ages four to six, mastering common blends like 'gr' significantly expands the number of words they can decode independently when reading.
FR Blend Words Worksheet: Circle the Words!
Children ages 4-6 practice recognizing the 'fr' consonant blend at the start of words, like 'frog' and 'friend', which requires blending two distinct sounds smoothly together rather than reading them as separate letters. Circling the correct words trains visual scanning alongside auditory sound recognition, both essential for fluent early reading. This kind of blend practice moves children beyond single-letter phonics into more complex word decoding.
Circle the 'cl' and 'sl' Blends Worksheet
This worksheet trains children ages 4-6 to recognize the 'cl' and 'sl' consonant blends at the start of words, an auditory discrimination skill that lays groundwork for blending sounds when reading. Because 'cl' and 'sl' sound similar, distinguishing them requires careful listening to the very first consonant in the blend, sharpening phonemic precision beyond simple beginning-sound identification. This kind of blend practice is a direct precursor to decoding longer, more complex words.
Match and Write: Blend Words Worksheet for Early Readers
This worksheet has children ages 4-6 match a beginning consonant blend to the rest of a word, then write the complete blended word in the space provided. Requiring children to both select the correct blend and then produce the full word in writing combines recognition and recall, pushing this practice a step beyond simple matching alone.
CCVC Word Matching Worksheet: Read and Match 'cl' and 'sl' Blends
This worksheet gives children ages 4-6 focused practice reading and matching CCVC words that begin with the 'cl' and 'sl' consonant blends, like 'clap' and 'slide'. Practicing two specific, similarly structured blends side by side sharpens a child's ability to hear the subtle difference between them, a skill that becomes increasingly important as vocabulary and reading material grow more complex.
CVC Train Worksheet: Write and Build CVC Words!
This worksheet gives children ages 4-6 focused practice blending letter sounds into consonant-vowel-consonant words, using train-car pictures as clues for words like 'dog,' 'hen,' or 'cup.' Because children both write the word and can optionally build it with Lego blocks, this worksheet reinforces the same phonics skill through two different physical actions — handwriting and hands-on construction — which helps the spelling patterns stick.
CVC Train Worksheet: Write CVC Words!
Writing consonant-vowel-consonant words like 'cat,' 'sun,' or 'pig' under matching pictures gives children ages 4-6 direct practice with letter-sound blending, a core phonics skill that underpins independent reading. Because each train car pairs a picture clue with a blank space, children also practice translating a spoken word they can sound out into its correctly spelled written form.
Guides for this topic
How to Teach CVC Blending: A Step-by-Step Method That Works in Two Weeks
A step-by-step method for teaching CVC blending, covering continuous sounds, word families, common errors, and a 14-day plan that most children finish reading CVC words.
Phase 2 Phonics at Home: Sound Order, Blending Games, Worksheets
Phase 2 phonics at home: the five sound sets in order, oral blending, tricky words, a two-week routine, common mistakes, and free worksheets.
Reception Year Explained: EYFS Learning and How to Help at Home
A teacher's plain-English guide to the Reception Year: the seven areas of learning, Early Learning Goals, Phase 2/3 phonics, the RBA and home routines.
Reviews
Every worksheet for ages 4–6, no watermark
Members download the full library of 1,000+ worksheets and every activity pack without watermarks or daily limits. One year costs ₹1,000 in India or $20 elsewhere.
See membership plansOr download any worksheet free with a watermark (5 a day).