Phonics word list
CL blend words
In short
Cl is an l blend: c says /k/ and l follows straight after, as in clap, clip and clock. Our checked list has 213 words that start with the cl blend.
At a glance
- Words in our list
- 213
- By syllables
- one syllable: 103 · two syllables: 88 · three or more syllables: 22
- Taught in
- Lesson 35c in the sequence
Cl words, most common first
Spelling units show how each word breaks into the letters that spell one sound; a_e is a vowel and silent e working together. Readable after is the first lesson where a student can sound out the whole word.
One syllable
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| club | c·l·u·b | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clue | c·l·ue | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| claim | c·l·ai·m | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| class | c·l·a·ss | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| clean | c·l·ea·n | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| clear | c·l·ear | 1 | Lesson 113 |
| clock | c·l·o·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| close | c·l·o_e·s | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| claims | c·l·ai·m·s | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| clears | c·l·ear·s | 1 | Lesson 113 |
| closed | c·l·o_e·s·d | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| claimed | c·l·ai·m·ed | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| cleared | c·l·ear·ed | 1 | Lesson 113 |
| clip | c·l·i·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clog | c·l·o·g | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clash | c·l·a·sh | 1 | Lesson 45 |
| click | c·l·i·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| cliff | c·l·i·ff | 1 | Lesson 42 |
| climb | c·l·i·mb | 1 | Lesson 98 |
| clips | c·l·i·p·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clone | c·l·o_e·n | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| cloth | c·l·o·th | 1 | Lesson 47 |
| cloud | c·l·ou·d | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| clubs | c·l·u·b·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clues | c·l·ue·s | 1 | Lesson 91 |
| clause | c·l·au·s·e | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| cleans | c·l·ea·n·s | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| climbs | c·l·i·mb·s | 1 | Lesson 98 |
| clique | c·l·i·qu·e | 1 | Not in the sequence |
| clocks | c·l·o·ck·s | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| clones | c·l·o_e·n·s | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| clothe | c·l·o_e·th | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| clouds | c·l·ou·d·s | 1 | Lesson 96 |
| classed | c·l·a·ss·ed | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| cleaned | c·l·ea·n·ed | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| climbed | c·l·i·mb·ed | 1 | Lesson 98 |
| clipped | c·l·i·pp·ed | 1 | Lesson 107 |
| clothed | c·l·o_e·th·d | 1 | Lesson 64 |
| clothes | c·l·o_e·th·s | 1 | Lesson 56 |
| clad | c·l·a·d | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clam | c·l·a·m | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clan | c·l·a·n | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clap | c·l·a·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| claw | c·l·aw | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| clay | c·l·ay | 1 | Lesson 84 |
| clef | c·l·e·f | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clot | c·l·o·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clack | c·l·a·ck | 1 | Lesson 44 |
| clamp | c·l·a·m·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clams | c·l·a·m·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clang | c·l·a·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
| clank | c·l·a·n·k | 1 | Lesson 52 |
| clans | c·l·a·n·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| claps | c·l·a·p·s | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clasp | c·l·a·s·p | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| claws | c·l·aw·s | 1 | Lesson 93 |
| cleat | c·l·ea·t | 1 | Lesson 85 |
| cleft | c·l·e·f·t | 1 | Lesson 26 |
| clerk | c·l·er·k | 1 | Lesson 80 |
| cling | c·l·i·ng | 1 | Lesson 51 |
Two syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| clever | c·l·e·v·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| closer | c·l·o·s·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| closes | c·l·o·s·e·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| classes | c·l·a·ss·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| clearer | c·l·ear·er | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| clearly | c·l·ear·l·y | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| closely | c·l·o_e·s·l·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| closest | c·l·o·s·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| closing | c·l·o·s·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| claiming | c·l·ai·m·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 84 |
| clearest | c·l·ear·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| clearing | c·l·ear·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| client | c·l·i·e·n·t | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| clinic | c·l·i·n·i·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| closet | c·l·o·s·e·t | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| clumsy | c·l·u·m·s·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| clashes | c·l·a·sh·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| classic | c·l·a·ss·i·c | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| clauses | c·l·au·s·e·s | 2 | Lesson 93 |
| cleaner | c·l·ea·n·er | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| cleanly | c·l·ea·n·l·y | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| clients | c·l·i·e·n·t·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| climate | c·l·i·m·a·t·e | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| closure | c·l·o·s·ur·e | 2 | Lesson 119 |
| cluster | c·l·u·s·t·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| classics | c·l·a·ss·i·c·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| classing | c·l·a·ss·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| cleaners | c·l·ea·n·er·s | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| cleanest | c·l·ea·n·e·s·t | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| cleaning | c·l·ea·n·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| climbing | c·l·i·mb·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 98 |
| clipping | c·l·i·pp·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| clothing | c·l·o·th·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 109 |
| clusters | c·l·u·s·t·er·s | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| clearance | c·l·ear·a·n·c·e | 2 | Lesson 113 |
| clammy | c·l·a·mm·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| classy | c·l·a·ss·y | 2 | Lesson 74 |
| cloudy | c·l·ou·d·y | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| clover | c·l·o·v·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| clapper | c·l·a·pp·er | 2 | Lesson 80 |
| clawing | c·l·aw·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 93 |
| cleaver | c·l·ea·v·er | 2 | Lesson 85 |
| climber | c·l·i·mb·er | 2 | Lesson 98 |
| clinics | c·l·i·n·i·c·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| closets | c·l·o·s·e·t·s | 2 | Lesson 67b |
| clotted | c·l·o·tt·ed | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| clouded | c·l·ou·d·ed | 2 | Lesson 96 |
| clamping | c·l·a·m·p·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| clanging | c·l·a·ng·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| clanking | c·l·a·n·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| clapping | c·l·a·pp·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 107 |
| clashing | c·l·a·sh·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| cleanser | c·l·ea·n·s·er | 2 | Lesson 94 |
| clenches | c·l·e·n·ch·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| clicking | c·l·i·ck·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| climates | c·l·i·m·a·t·e·s | 2 | Lesson 68 |
| climbers | c·l·i·mb·er·s | 2 | Lesson 98 |
| clinches | c·l·i·n·ch·es | 2 | Lesson 63 |
| clinging | c·l·i·ng·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 65 |
| cloaking | c·l·oa·k·i·ng | 2 | Lesson 86 |
Three or more syllables
| Word | Spelling units | Syllables | Readable after |
|---|---|---|---|
| clarify | c·l·a·r·i·f·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| clarity | c·l·a·r·i·t·y | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| classify | c·l·a·ss·i·f·y | 3 | Lesson 73 |
| cleverer | c·l·e·v·e·r·er | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| clinical | c·l·i·n·i·c·a·l | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| clarified | c·l·a·r·i·f·i·ed | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| clarifies | c·l·a·r·i·f·ie·s | 3 | Not in the sequence |
| classical | c·l·a·ss·i·c·a·l | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| classified | c·l·a·ss·i·f·i·ed | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| classifies | c·l·a·ss·i·f·ie·s | 3 | Lesson 110 |
| clarifying | c·l·a·r·i·f·y·i·ng | 4 | Not in the sequence |
| classifying | c·l·a·ss·i·f·y·i·ng | 4 | Lesson 73 |
| clarification | c·l·a·r·i·f·i·c·a·tion | 5 | Not in the sequence |
| classification | c·l·a·ss·i·f·i·c·a·tion | 5 | Lesson 119 |
| cleverly | c·l·e·v·er·l·y | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| closeted | c·l·o·s·e·t·ed | 3 | Lesson 67b |
| clearances | c·l·ear·a·n·c·e·s | 3 | Lesson 113 |
| cleverness | c·l·e·v·er·n·e·ss | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| clumsiness | c·l·u·m·s·i·n·e·ss | 3 | Lesson 124 |
| clustering | c·l·u·s·t·er·i·ng | 3 | Lesson 80 |
| clinically | c·l·i·n·i·c·a·ll·y | 4 | Lesson 74 |
| classifications | c·l·a·ss·i·f·i·c·a·tion·s | 5 | Lesson 119 |
When do these words become readable?
The lessons where the most words on this page become decodable. Words marked not in the sequence have a spelling the sequence never teaches as a pattern.
| Readable after | Words |
|---|---|
| Lesson 26 | 22 |
| Lesson 65 | 11 |
| Lesson 67b | 10 |
| Lesson 80 | 13 |
| Lesson 85 | 13 |
| Lesson 96 | 11 |
| Lesson 107 | 11 |
| Lesson 113 | 10 |
| Not in the sequence | 8 |
How do you teach cl words?
Practice cl with a clapping game: the student claps once for /k/ and slides into /l/. "Clap. /k/ /l/ /ă/ /p/." Build from known words: lap to clap, lip to clip, lot to clot. Point out that cl and kl sound the same, but English writes cl at the start.
What mistake do students make with cl words?
Spelling cl as kl (klap) is logical and common. Tell the student that kl almost never begins an English word. Reading errors are rare once the l is noticed; tap four sounds in clip.
Where do cl words come in the sequence?
Cl is taught with the other l blends, after short vowels. In the sequence we use, the pattern is taught in Lesson 35c.
Exceptions worth knowing
In uncle and circle, cl is split across syllables. Clue and clerk show cl before other vowel spellings, but the blend stays the same.
Decodable sentences
Every word in these sentences can be read at Lesson 35c or earlier, or is a heart word taught by then.
- Clap to the drum.
- The clip is on the bag.
- Can you clam up?
Questions people ask
What are 5 cl words?
Is it cl or kl?
What are common cl words?
When can a student read cl words?
How this list was built
Every word comes from our lexicon of common English words, each split into spelling units and checked against a pronouncing dictionary, so a word is listed under the sound its spelling really makes. Words a student sees in our assessments are left out. The readable after lesson comes from our decodability engine, which checks each spelling unit and syllable pattern against the lesson sequence. You can run your own text through the same engine with the free decodable text checker.