141 Consonant+le Words: FREE Word Lists
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Learn all about consonant+le words, including what they are, how to teach them, and common examples. As a bonus, you will get free lists with 141 c+le words organized by common features to help make your instruction easy!
All About Consonant+le Words
Consonant+le words are words that end with a consonant, then the letters le. They include words ending with these letters: -ble, -dle, -tle, -gle, -ple, -fle, -zle, -ckle, kle, -cle.
Common examples of c+le words are: bubble, riddle, little, eagle, staple, rifle, puzzle, pickle, ankle, and spectacle.
The consonant+le always occurs at the END of words.
The consonant+le only occurs in multisyllabic words.
The e is silent.
The -le will make the /əl/ sound, which sounds like /ŭl/ (it includes a schwa sound).
Consonant+le Syllable Type
It’s important to know that the consonant+le part of the word is actually it’s own syllable! This is the sixth and final of the six syllable types to teach to students.
In order for students to identify this syllable type when decoding words, teach them this catchy jingle:
“Consonant+le, count back three.”
The word will be divided right before the consonant in a c+le word:
👉 Knowing this syllable type will help kids read hundreds of words. But another huge benefit is that it will help them spell words correctly!
Think about the word ‘example.’ Instead of writing “ex-am-pul,” they will now know that the last syllable is a c+le syllable & spell it correctly (after a bit of practice, of course!).
👨🏽🏫 How to Teach C+le Words
When first introducing this syllable type to students, use the word little. This is a familiar high frequency word that all of your students already know.
Write the word “little” on the board and ask students these questions:
- What word is this?
- How many syllables are in this word?
- What is the second syllable?
Then use that discussion as a springboard to teach C+le words. Within your instruction, be sure to hit these key teaching points:
- Review the term consonant: A letter that is not a vowel. The breath sound is partially obstructed in the airway.
- Explicitly teach students the e is silent. So why is it there? Well every syllable needs a vowel, so the silent e serves as the vowel in this syllable type (This is very different from the job of the e in VCe words). The only sounds they’ll hear is the consonant sound +/ŭl/.
- For encoding, teach kids that when they hear the schwa sound, they won’t write a u. Instead, they’ll write the consonant followed by the letters le.
Then show students words that include a c+le syllable. Use our word lists below for lots of examples!
Have your students practice identifying the syllable type, then reading the word using syllable division rules.
👉 Decoding Tip: Sometimes its best to read the C+le syllable first! Then read the first part of the word.
📃 C+LE Word Lists
Below are words that follow the C+le pattern, organized by consonant.
✨ You can find the words as free PDF downloads at the bottom of this post. ✨
-ble words
| able | Bible | hobble | grumble |
| table | rumble | stable | bobble |
| cable | tumble | stumble | dabble |
| fable | babble | thimble | bubble |
-cle words
| uncle | cuticle | vehicle | popsicle |
| cycle | miracle | follicle | |
| circle | cubicle | recycle | obstacle |
| icicle | bicycle | article | particle |
-dle words
| idle | paddle | peddle | riddle |
| ladle | handle | noodle | doodle |
| cuddle | saddle | bundle | fiddle |
| needle | cradle | hurdle | kindle |
-fle words
| waffle | muffle | shuffle |
| stifle | ruffle | scuffle |
| truffle | baffle | sniffle |
| raffle | trifle | whiffle |
-gle words
| bugle | jingle | toggle | |
| angle | giggle | tangle | haggle |
| eagle | jungle | juggle | jiggle |
| goggle | mingle | wiggle | dangle |
-kle words
| ankle | pickle | crinkle | chuckle |
| tackle | tickle | suckle | prickle |
| fickle | heckle | twinkle | spackle |
| buckle | cackle | sparkle | sprinkle |
-ple words
| apple | sample | temple | pimple |
| ample | simple | staple | example |
| maple | triple | dimple | crimple |
| people | couple | hopple | steeple |
-tle words
| title | mantle | rustle | shuttle |
| little | settle | tattle | wrestle |
| battle | cattle | hurtle | startle |
| castle | kettle | whistle | riddle |
-zle words
| puzzle | guzzle | nuzzle | drizzle |
| nozzle | dazzle | frazzle | embezzle |
| muzzle | fizzle | frizzle | bedazzle |
| sizzle | razzle | grizzle | bamboozle |
Ways to Use C+le Word Lists
Use these ideas for using the words lists after downloading:
- Sort the words! Cut out a few words and have kids sort them according to the consonant. This helps them notice patterns in words and gives them tons of practice reading C+le words.
- Color the syllables! Use highlighters or markers to identify the C+le within words.
- Use for word dictation! For spelling, be sure to teach that students need to double the letter if the vowel is short and only include one consonant sound (the /l/ sound) follows it.
- Build fluency! Provide the lists to students and have them practice reading and re-reading the lists.
Related Resources
- 376 Nonsense Words + Nonsense C+LE words
- Open & Closed Syllable Multisensory Activity
- All About R-Controlled Vowels
- Schwa Word Lists
- 83 VCCV Words (Free Lists)
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Thank you for these lists. C-le tools are limited.
Nancy
Nancy,
You’re welcome! We hope to put out more C-le resources soon.
Katie and Laura
Kate and Laura, your website is the best I’ve come across for using Science of Reading. It is correlated so well to each component of the lesson plans I use (UFLI). The posters for syllable division along with the word lists are fabulous and save me so much time! Thanks for doing all the leg work for us! Thank you for providing a comprehensive resource for teachers and parents!
Sandra,
Thank you SO much for your kind feedback. You made our day. We are so glad to hear our resources are helping you teach concepts and save you time. That’s why we do what we do 🙂
Katie & Laura
Katie and Laura, I just love your website and all your word lists are great. Literacy Learn has been so valuable to me in developing my online phonics and reading tutoring business. You ladies are fantastic!
Hi Clarinda, Thank you so much for this lovely review! We are beyond thrilled to have been helpful in developing your business that helps kids learn to read. -Katie & Laura
These are great, thanks!
Megan,
We’re so glad you can use these word lists!
Katie and Laura