# Spelling Word Lists by Grade

Find the right spelling words for your level. Free lists for every grade, from early readers to adults, organized so you can focus on what matters most.

## 1st Grade Spelling Words

Simple, everyday words first graders are learning to read and spell.

- bat
- tooth
- spin
- fox
- sick
- pig
- ran
- your
- cut

## 2nd Grade Spelling Words

Common, mostly short words second graders read and write.

- four
- plan
- paid
- bright
- rise
- food
- sold
- height
- went

## 3rd Grade Spelling Words

Familiar words with longer spellings as third graders gain confidence.

- close
- person
- pardon
- am
- particle
- stone
- near
- shirt
- value

## 4th Grade Spelling Words

Multi-syllable words for fourth graders building fluency.

- friends
- fugitive
- pineapple
- perhaps
- speed
- choir
- fountain
- goose
- hammer

## 5th Grade Spelling Words

Richer, more varied vocabulary for confident upper-elementary readers.

- scissors
- naughty
- freight
- afraid
- feast
- Saturn

## 6th Grade Spelling Words

Two- and three-syllable words sixth graders meet in everyday reading.

- complain
- negative
- importance
- encouragement
- shelves
- mixture

## 7th Grade Spelling Words

A wider range of words for seventh graders to master.

- capital
- inherit
- cinnamon
- culminate
- heroic
- elementary

## 8th Grade Spelling Words

A broad mix of longer words for eighth graders.

- vessel
- equilibrium
- newsstand
- parachute
- epidemic
- belligerent

## 9th Grade Spelling Words

Substantial words for students entering high school.

- diurnal
- poignant
- odor
- animosity
- renovate
- situated

## 10th Grade Spelling Words

Everyday vocabulary every high schooler should be able to spell.

- emboss
- genteel
- morale
- beguiled
- maternal
- cumulative

## 11th Grade Spelling Words

Familiar, useful words to keep eleventh graders sharp.

- convivial
- abdicate
- querulous
- guile
- pernicious
- nebulous

## 12th Grade Spelling Words

Everyday spelling words to carry out of high school.

- rostrum
- appreciate
- bogus
- corresponding
- consummate
- revert

## Adult Spelling Words

Long, uncommon words for adult spellers ready for a challenge.

- deplorable
- demagnetize
- barista
- cathode
- encomium
- euphony

## Sight Words

The most common words in English, learned by sight before sounding out. Dolch and Fry lists plus the Top 150, for beginning readers.

- first
- going
- by
- his
- again
- kiss
- her
- then
- from

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What's the difference between spelling words and sight words?

Sight words are the most common words in English, the ones readers learn to recognize instantly because they turn up constantly and often aren't spelled the way they sound (like "the," "was," or "could"). Spelling words are the broader, grade-level vocabulary students learn to read, write, and spell as they move up. Beginning readers usually start with sight words, then grow into the grade lists. Both are here, free to browse.

### How are these different from spelling bee words?

These are everyday, grade-level words students read and write in school, built for steady classroom practice. Spelling bee words are curated to be harder, climbing toward the long, uncommon words used in competitions. If you're preparing for a bee, the [Spelling Bee Words](/content/spelling-bee-words/index.html) lists are the better fit; for grade-level practice, you're in the right place.

### How should I practice these spelling words?

Start with the grade that matches your level, then work through one list at a time instead of all at once. Reading each word, writing it out, and saying it aloud all help, since spelling sticks best through repetition across different senses. You can study any grade's lists on SpellQuiz for free, and when you're ready to check yourself, the Spelling Test gives instant feedback on what you got right and what to review. A little each day beats one long session.