Sight Word Bingo

How to play sight word bingo in class

Call it like a spelling bee in reverse: say the word, read its sentence, say the word again. Students find it, mark it and whisper-read it, so every call is a reading rep for the whole class, not just the winner.

Pick the level you're reviewingChoose the Dolch level your class has already been taught, not the one you're introducing: bingo builds speed on words students have met. One level per game keeps every card on target.
Match the card size to the ageUse 3×3 cards in kindergarten, 4×4 in first grade and 5×5 from second grade on. Every level has at least 40 words, so even a class set of 5×5 cards holds different words.
Call: word, sentence, wordRead the word, then the sentence from the table, then the word again, and give 5–10 seconds to find it. To let students see each word, spin the sight-words wheel on the board instead.
Read the line backA full row, column or diagonal wins. The winner reads every word in the line aloud. If they get stuck on one, the class reads it together and the game goes on.
Keep the missesJot down the words students hesitated on. Put them on next week's warm-up wheel, or print a small-group game with just those words.

Watch for to, two and too

To and two are both pre-primer words, and right and write are both second grade, so one card can hold both. When you call one, read its sentence and write the word on the board so students know which square to mark.

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word

All 315 Dolch words, grouped the way Dolch grouped them: pre-primer 40, primer 52, first grade 41, second grade 46, third grade 41, and 95 nouns. Each word has a short sentence to read after you call it.

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word: Pre-primer (40)
Word	Sentence to read
a	I see a red ball.
and	The cat and the dog play.
away	The bird flew away.
big	That is a big tree.
blue	The sky is blue today.
can	I can jump high.
come	Come and see the fish.
down	Sit down on the rug.
find	Can you find the cat?
for	This book is for you.
funny	That is a funny joke.
go	We go to school.
help	Can you help me?
here	Put the box here.
I	I like to read.
in	The fish is in the bowl.
is	It is a sunny day.
it	Look at it go!
jump	Frogs can jump far.
little	A little bug is on the leaf.
look	Look at the moon.
make	We make a card.
me	Read with me.
my	This is my pencil.
not	It is not cold.
one	I have one red crayon.
play	We play tag at recess.
red	The apple is red.
run	We run to the gym.
said	She said hello.
see	I see a bird.
the	The dog ran.
three	I see three ducks.
to	We walk to the park.
two	Two birds sat on the fence.
up	The balloon went up.
we	We read a book.
where	Where is my hat?
yellow	The sun is yellow.
you	Thank you for the help.

Pre-primer (40) · replaces the current list, Undo brings it back

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word: Primer (52)
Word	Sentence to read
all	We all sat down.
am	I am ready to read.
are	You are my friend.
at	Look at the bus.
ate	The rabbit ate a carrot.
be	Be kind to others.
black	The cat is black.
brown	The bear is brown.
but	It is sunny but cold.
came	A bird came to the window.
did	Did you see that?
do	Do you like to sing?
eat	We eat lunch at noon.
four	A dog has four legs.
get	Get your coat, please.
good	That was a good book.
have	I have a new pencil.
he	He can run fast.
into	The frog jumped into the pond.
like	I like to paint.
must	We must wash our hands.
new	We got a new rug.
no	No, thank you.
now	It is time to go now.
on	The cup is on the table.
our	This is our classroom.
out	We went out to play.
please	Please pass the glue.
pretty	The flowers are pretty.
ran	The dog ran to the gate.
ride	We ride the bus.
saw	I saw a rainbow.
say	What did you say?
she	She is my friend.
so	It was so funny!
soon	Lunch is soon.
that	That is my coat.
there	Put it over there.
they	They play on the swings.
this	This is my desk.
too	I want to come too.
under	The cat is under the bed.
want	Do you want a turn?
was	It was a hot day.
well	You read that well.
went	We went to the library.
what	What is your name?
white	Snow is white.
who	Who is at the door?
will	I will help you.
with	Come with me.
yes	Yes, I can do it.

Primer (52) · replaces the current list, Undo brings it back

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word: First grade (41)
Word	Sentence to read
after	We play after lunch.
again	Read it again.
an	I ate an apple.
any	Do you have any glue?
as	The box is as big as a car.
ask	Ask a friend for help.
by	Sit by the window.
could	Could you help me?
every	We read every day.
fly	Birds can fly.
from	This card is from my friend.
give	Give the ball to Sam.
going	We are going to the park.
had	We had fun today.
has	The dog has a ball.
her	That is her book.
him	Give him the pencil.
his	This is his hat.
how	How do you spell cat?
just	I just finished my work.
know	I know the answer.
let	Let me try.
live	Fish live in water.
may	May I have a turn?
of	We have a lot of books.
old	This is an old map.
once	Once upon a time, a fox lived in the woods.
open	Open your book to page ten.
over	The ball went over the fence.
put	Put your pencil away.
round	A ball is round.
some	Can I have some paper?
stop	Stop at the red light.
take	Take one and pass it on.
thank	We thank the bus driver.
them	I gave them a card.
then	First we read, then we write.
think	I think it will rain.
walk	We walk in the hall.
were	They were at the park.
when	When is lunch?

First grade (41) · replaces the current list, Undo brings it back

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word: Second grade (46)
Word	Sentence to read
always	We always wash our hands.
around	We walked around the lake.
because	I wore a coat because it was cold.
been	It has been a long day.
before	Wash your hands before lunch.
best	That was the best game.
both	Both cats are asleep.
buy	The class will buy seeds for the garden.
call	Call my name when it is my turn.
cold	The milk is cold.
does	Does the bus stop here?
don't	Don't forget your coat.
fast	A cheetah runs fast.
first	Who is first in line?
five	I have five crayons.
found	I found my lost mitten.
gave	She gave me a sticker.
goes	The bell goes off at three.
green	Grass is green.
its	The dog wagged its tail.
made	We made a paper hat.
many	How many birds do you see?
off	Turn off the light.
or	Do you want red or blue?
pull	Pull the wagon up the hill.
read	Yesterday I read a whole book.
right	Turn right at the door.
sing	We sing a song every morning.
sit	Sit on the rug, please.
sleep	Bears sleep in the winter.
tell	Tell me a story.
their	The children put on their coats.
these	These are my markers.
those	Those birds are loud.
upon	Once upon a time, there was a king.
us	Come with us.
use	Use a pencil for the test.
very	It is very hot.
wash	Wash the paint brushes.
which	Which one do you want?
why	Why is the sky blue?
wish	I wish it would snow.
work	We work in groups.
would	Would you like to play?
write	Write your name on the paper.
your	Is this your coat?

Second grade (46) · replaces the current list, Undo brings it back

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word: Third grade (41)
Word	Sentence to read
about	This book is about frogs.
better	This plan is better.
bring	Bring your library book.
carry	Carry the box with two hands.
clean	Clean up the table.
cut	Cut on the dotted line.
done	Are you done with the glue?
draw	Draw a big circle.
drink	Drink some water.
eight	A spider has eight legs.
fall	Leaves fall from the trees.
far	The moon is far away.
full	The cup is full.
got	I got a new book.
grow	Seeds grow into plants.
hold	Hold the door, please.
hot	The soup is hot.
hurt	Walk, so no one gets hurt.
if	If it rains, we stay inside.
keep	Keep your desk neat.
kind	It is kind to share.
laugh	That joke made me laugh.
light	Turn on the light.
long	That is a long snake.
much	How much paint do we need?
myself	I did it myself.
never	I never give up.
only	There is only one cookie left.
own	Use your own pencil.
pick	Pick a card.
seven	There are seven days in a week.
shall	Shall we go outside?
show	Show me your work.
six	An insect has six legs.
small	An ant is small.
start	Start at the top of the page.
ten	Count to ten.
today	Today is Monday.
together	We worked together.
try	Try again.
warm	The sun feels warm.

Third grade (41) · replaces the current list, Undo brings it back

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word: Nouns (95)
Word	Sentence to read
apple	An apple fell from the tree.
baby	The baby bird is in the nest.
back	Go to the back of the line.
ball	Kick the ball.
bear	A bear sleeps in a cave.
bed	The cat is on the bed.
bell	The bell rang at noon.
bird	A bird sang in the tree.
birthday	The story is about a birthday.
boat	The boat sails on the lake.
box	Put the blocks in the box.
boy	The boy kicked the ball.
bread	We made bread in class.
brother	Her brother is in first grade.
cake	The cake is on the plate.
car	The car stopped at the light.
cat	The cat sat on the mat.
chair	Push in your chair.
chicken	The chicken laid an egg.
children	The children played tag.
Christmas	Christmas comes in December.
coat	Hang your coat on the hook.
corn	Corn grows tall in the field.
cow	The cow eats grass.
day	It is a nice day.
dog	The dog can fetch.
doll	The doll has a red hat.
door	Shut the door, please.
duck	The duck swims in the pond.
egg	The egg cracked open.
eye	The cat shut one eye.
farm	Cows and pigs live on the farm.
farmer	The farmer plants corn.
father	The father bird brings food to the nest.
feet	A duck has webbed feet.
fire	The firefighter put out the fire.
fish	A fish swims in the tank.
floor	Keep your bag off the floor.
flower	A bee sits on the flower.
game	Let's play a game.
garden	The school garden has beans.
girl	The girl read a book.
goodbye	Wave goodbye to the bus.
grass	The grass is wet.
ground	Seeds go in the ground.
hand	Raise your hand.
head	Put your hat on your head.
hill	We ran up the hill.
home	The bird flew home to its nest.
horse	The horse runs in the field.
house	The mouse lives in a little house.
kitty	The kitty plays with yarn.
leg	The table has a short leg.
letter	Write a letter to a friend.
man	The man drives the bus.
men	Two men carried the piano.
milk	Cows give milk.
money	Put the money in the bank.
morning	We read in the morning.
mother	The mother duck leads her ducklings.
name	Write your name at the top.
nest	Three eggs are in the nest.
night	Owls hunt at night.
paper	Fold the paper in half.
party	We had a class party.
picture	Draw a picture of a cat.
pig	The pig rolls in the mud.
rabbit	The rabbit hops away.
rain	The rain fell all day.
ring	We sat in a ring on the rug.
robin	A robin pulled up a worm.
Santa Claus	Santa Claus has a red suit.
school	Our school has a big gym.
seed	Plant the seed in a cup.
sheep	The sheep has thick wool.
shoe	Tie your shoe.
sister	His sister plays the drum.
snow	The snow is cold and white.
song	We learned a new song.
squirrel	The squirrel hides a nut.
stick	The dog found a stick.
street	Look both ways before you cross the street.
sun	The sun is hot.
table	Set the cups on the table.
thing	What is that thing?
time	It is time for lunch.
top	The top spins fast.
toy	Put the toy back on the shelf.
tree	A bird lives in the tree.
watch	Her watch has a blue band.
water	Plants need water.
way	Which way is the library?
wind	The wind blew my hat off.
window	Look out the window.
wood	The table is made of wood.

Nouns (95) · replaces the current list, Undo brings it back

All 220 Dolch service words and 95 Dolch nouns, grouped as Dolch grouped them (40, 52, 41, 46, 41 and 95), checked word by word against two published copies of the list. A few printed versions differ by a word or two.

8 ways to use sight word bingo

Call with the sight-words wheel

Open the sight-words wheel on the board, load the same Dolch level and turn on Remove winner, so no word comes up twice. Students see each word as the wheel lands, which helps with look-alikes.

Open the sight-words wheel

Kindergarten starter game

Print 3×3 cards from the pre-primer list: 8 words and a free space per card. Play to one line, then keep going to a full card so every child gets to shout bingo.

Tricky look-alikes

Was and saw, on and no, then and them, where and were: 30 Dolch words children often mix up. Play it on 5×5 cards, and have the winner read the whole line back slowly.

Second-grade speed round

Once a class knows the second-grade list, call a word every 5 seconds without the sentence. Speed is the point: these are words students should read at a glance.

Noun bingo for English learners

The 95 Dolch nouns are concrete words like dog, rain and window. After each call, ask students to point to the thing, draw it in the air or act it out.

Partner bingo at a literacy center

Cut a caller's sheet into slips and put them in a cup. One partner draws and reads, the other marks; they swap roles each game. It runs without you while you meet with a reading group.

Read it, then use it

Before a winner is confirmed, they pick one word from the line and say a new sentence with it. It turns a lucky line into a little bit of oral language practice.

Fry words or your own word wall

Using Fry words, a district list or this month's word wall? Type them into the bingo card generator, one per line, and print the same way.

Make cards from your words

Sight word bingo: frequently asked questions

What are Dolch sight words?

They are 220 "service words" plus 95 nouns that Edward W. Dolch, an education professor at the University of Illinois, listed in the 1930s as the words children meet most often in early reading. Many can't be sounded out easily (said, the, of), so children learn to recognize them on sight. Dolch grouped them in levels from pre-primer through third grade.

How many Dolch sight words are there?

There are 315 in all: 220 service words in five levels (pre-primer 40, primer 52, first grade 41, second grade 46 and third grade 41) and 95 nouns. A few printed versions differ by a word or two, so compare with your school's list if it matters for report cards. The lists on this page follow the standard grouping.

Which sight words should kindergartners know?

Many kindergarten programs work through the 40 pre-primer words and start on the 52 primer words, but expectations vary by district and curriculum, so check your own standards. For bingo, use words students have already been taught. The game builds speed and confidence; it isn't the best way to meet a word for the first time.

How do you play sight word bingo?

Give each student a card and some markers. The caller says a word, reads it in a sentence and says it again. Students find the word, mark it and read it quietly. A full row, column or diagonal wins, and the winner reads the line aloud for the class to check. Keep playing for more winners, or clear the cards for a fresh round.

Dolch or Fry: which sight word list should I use?

Dolch is 315 words grouped by level, drawn from children's books of the 1930s and 1940s. Fry's Instant Words, from Edward Fry, are 1,000 words ordered by how often they appear in reading material, usually taught 100 at a time. The two overlap a lot. Use whichever your school uses; for Fry words, type your current set into the bingo card generator.

How many words do I need for sight word bingo cards?

A 3×3 card needs 8 words plus the free space, a 4×4 card needs 15 and a 5×5 card needs 24 (one more each without the free space). More words than squares make the cards less alike. Every Dolch level here has at least 40 words, so any single level can fill a whole class set of different 5×5 cards.

How the cards are made

Each card's squares are shuffled with your browser's cryptographic random number generator (Web Crypto), so every card in a batch is different and no card is favored. With 40 words in this set, a 5×5 card uses 24 of them plus the free space.

The PDF is built on your device. Your words are never uploaded, and the calling list comes with the cards so you can check a winner in seconds.

Read the full randomness explainer

Generator: Web Crypto (crypto.getRandomValues), in your browser
Cards: Every card in a batch is different
PDF: Made on your device, never uploaded
Your list: Stays in this browser unless you share or save it

Last reviewed Oct 29, 2026Written for K–3 teachers, reading specialists and families in the U.S.On the lists 315 wordsSuggest a word

Step 1 of 3What goes in the squares?

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Caller's sheet

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How to play sight word bingo in class

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word

8 ways to use sight word bingo

Call with the sight-words wheel

Kindergarten starter game

Tricky look-alikes

Second-grade speed round

Noun bingo for English learners

Partner bingo at a literacy center

Read it, then use it

Fry words or your own word wall

Sight word bingo: frequently asked questions

How the cards are made

Step 1 of 3What goes in the squares?

Step 2 of 3Choose the card style

Step 3 of 3Print your cards

Everything has been called

Called so far (0)

Caller's sheet

Play on screen

Step 1 of 3What goes in the squares?

Step 2 of 3Choose the card style

Step 3 of 3Print your cards

Everything has been called

Called so far (0)

Caller's sheet

Play on screen

How to play sight word bingo in class

Dolch sight word lists for bingo, with a sentence for every word

8 ways to use sight word bingo

Call with the sight-words wheel

Kindergarten starter game

Tricky look-alikes

Second-grade speed round

Noun bingo for English learners

Partner bingo at a literacy center

Read it, then use it

Fry words or your own word wall

Sight word bingo: frequently asked questions

How the cards are made

More bingo templates

Find Someone Who Bingo

Multiplication Bingo

Christmas Bingo

Thanksgiving Bingo

Step 1 of 3What goes in the squares?

Step 2 of 3Choose the card style

Step 3 of 3Print your cards

Everything has been called

Called so far (0)

Caller's sheet

Play on screen