5th Grade Spelling Words
By fifth grade, strong spellers are decoding new words by their parts. This fifth grade spelling words list gives you the Fry Fifth Hundred (words #401–500) plus a grade-5 academic word list, then groups the patterns fifth graders learn: Greek and Latin roots, absorbed prefixes, advanced suffixes, and the commonly-confused word pairs that trip up even good readers. Work through it however suits your week — print it, take one group at a time, or enter this week’s words into StudySpell and let your child hear and spell each one, the way a real test runs.
The Complete 5th Grade Spelling Words List
High-Frequency Words (Fry Fifth Hundred) — 100 words
Words #401–500 by frequency — the next set of common words on the Fry list, useful for building fluent, automatic spelling.
Grade-5 Academic & Spelling Words — 40 words
Grade-appropriate academic and curriculum words from a cited 5th/6th grade master spelling list.
5th Grade Words by Spelling Pattern
Greek & Latin Root Words
Absorbed Prefix Words (il-, im-, ir-, ac-, ap-, at-)
Suffix Words (-able / -ible / -ous)
Commonly Confused Words
Where these lists come from
These are widely-used reference lists, not an official standard — the Dolch and Fry “by grade” groupings are a common teaching convention, and spelling patterns vary by curriculum. Sources: Fry Fifth Hundred words (sightwords.com), 5th & 6th Grade Master Spelling List (Walker County Fair, PDF), 5th grade roots, absorbed prefixes & confused words (SpellCrush).
How to Practice 5th Grade Spelling Words at Home
Fifth graders can usually handle 15–20 spelling words a week, especially when the words share a root or pattern. Grouping by word part — all the “vis” words, all the absorbed-prefix words — makes a longer list feel much shorter.
Pick one group above and run the three-step attack on each word: find the prefix, the root, and the suffix, then spell it from memory after hearing it. For example, invisible = in (not) + vis (see) + ible (able to be). Sort into “mastered” and “review,” and spend your time only on the review pile.
StudySpell reads each word aloud and lets your child spell what they hear, scoring instantly and re-surfacing missed words automatically. Enter this week’s 15–20 words, try it free with no signup, and Pro ($7/mo) unlocks unlimited lists and progress tracking across multiple kids.
Turn this list into real practice
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5th Grade Spelling Words FAQ
How many spelling words should a 5th grader learn each week?
Most fifth grade classes assign about 15–20 spelling words a week. That’s a manageable load when the words share a root or pattern, since learning one word part unlocks several words at once.
What spelling words should a 5th grader know?
By the end of fifth grade, kids are typically expected to spell high-frequency Fry words, academic vocabulary (efficient, government, ancient), Greek and Latin root words (transport, inspect), absorbed-prefix words (illegal, immature), and commonly-confused pairs (accept/except, principal/principle). The lists here cover all of these.
How should a 5th grader spell an unfamiliar word?
Teach the three-step attack: (1) find any prefix and its meaning, (2) find the root and what it means, (3) note any suffix. For example, invisible = in (not) + vis (see) + ible (able to be) = not able to be seen. Breaking a word into meaningful parts works for thousands of unfamiliar words.
Why is there no Dolch list for 5th grade?
The Dolch sight word lists end at third grade. From fourth grade up, high-frequency practice continues with the Fry list (the Fifth Hundred is on this page) and the focus shifts to academic vocabulary and word roots — which is what fifth grade spelling is really about.
What is the best way to practice spelling words?
Short, daily sessions beat cramming. The most effective method is hearing a word and spelling it from memory, then re-drilling only the misses. Grouping words by root or pattern speeds things up. Apps like StudySpell read each word aloud so your child can practice by ear.
Can my child practice these words for free?
Yes. You can try StudySpell free with no signup — enter any of the words above and the app will read them aloud for your child to spell. Pro ($7/mo) unlocks unlimited lists and progress tracking across multiple kids.
Spelling words by grade
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