2nd grade silent letters (kn, wr, mb) worksheets
Second graders read silent-letter words without stumbling and spell the common ones (know, write, climb) with the silent letter included, which is the hard half of the skill.
Free printable PDF worksheet.
Each print is a different sheet with its own answer key. You don't need to sign up.
Need one more? These are the skills next door at this grade.
The kind of words you'll complete and sort
Fill in the missing letters to make a real word, then write the whole word in its column.
itelaongit (make a scarf with yarn)uckle (a finger joint)istli (an arm, a leg, or a branch)eepluer (fixes sinks and pipes)
Columns: silent k and silent w and silent b. The clue (a finger joint) picks kn for "_uckle", so knuckle goes under silent k; Only wr turns "_ong" into a real word, so wrong goes under silent w; Only mb turns "la_" into a real word, so lamb goes under silent b.
Every print pulls a new set of words at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.
What's on a 2nd grade sheet
2nd grade sheets draw from 30 words, 21 to a page. 2nd and 3rd grade print from the same 30 words. The teaching notes below are written for this grade.
Some of the words:
knifeknockknightwritewringthumbclimblimbnumbtomb
- Complete and sort. Fill in the missing letters to make a real word, then write the whole word in its column. 21 words per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Spelling is where silent letters bite. Dictate know, wrong, and comb, and celebrate the silent letter appearing on paper. A missing k in 'know' is the exact error this page exists to retire.
Watch for: Silent letters come in fixed teams: kn, wr, mb. The silent letter is always the same one in each team, so kids can learn the teams instead of memorizing word by word. These letters were once pronounced (English speakers really said k-nee long ago). The sound left; the spelling stayed. Kids enjoy knowing the letters are fossils, not mistakes.
Common questions about 2nd grade silent letters (kn, wr, mb)
- How can I help with spelling these?
- Have your child say the word normally, then 'spelling-pronounce' it with the silent letter voiced: k-nife, w-rite, thum-b. The funny voice plants the letter where memory can find it.
- Is gn like these too?
- Yes: gnat, gnaw, and sign hide a silent g. This sheet sticks to kn, wr, and mb, but gn reads exactly like the kn pattern once kids know the trick.
Related worksheets
- 3rd grade silent letters (kn, wr, mb) A step harder, same skill
- 2nd grade alphabetical order Same grade, nearby skill
- 2nd grade beginning blends (bl, cr, st) Same grade, nearby skill
- 2nd grade consonant-le endings (-le, -el, -al) Same grade, nearby skill
- 2nd grade counting syllables Same grade, nearby skill
- Silent letters (kn, wr, mb), all grades The full progression
- All 2nd grade English worksheets Every skill at this level
- All 2nd grade worksheets Everything at this level
Ready to print one?
Need a fresh set of words? Download another copy.
Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated August 2026.
Spot a mistake on this sheet? Tell us. · About these worksheets