Multisyllabic Words for Speech Therapy (Ideas + Free Cards!)

Do your students need practice decoding multisyllabic words? Download this 45-page list of multisyllabic words for speech therapy freebie today to get started practicing now!

Here’s the truth – in speech therapy, multisyllabic words play a crucial role in developing language skills. For speech-language pathologists, targeting longer words is a great way to address various speech and phonological disorders. Multi-syllabic words are everywhere – from early intervention, to childhood apraxia of speech, to enhancing phonological awareness skills with middle school students. When we help our students with multisyllabic words, we are giving them a valuable tool to improve their speech intelligibility! 

How many of you have a client coming to you for speech therapy sessions who is working on multisyllabic words right now? I always felt like multi syllable words were a language skill that so many of my students were working on. I also noticed that there was not much out there for resources or ideas on how to implement therapy strategies for these students. So today, I am really excited to review some great multi-syllabic strategies, as well as provide some effective and creative resources to help you teach multi-syllabic language skills in a fun way! 

Overview:

• Why Focus on Multisyllabic words in your speech therapy sessions – 10 Reasons Why MultiSyllabic Words will enhance speech and language development
• Effective Resources and Strategies to add to your multisyllabic lesson plans
• 430 + Multisyllabic Words List – 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 Syllable Words 
• ​A Free Multisyllabic Resource for you! 

Multisyllabic Words Speech Therapy

Multisyllabic words to decode have more than one syllable or vowel sound. In order for students to read these words, they must first learn to decode these multi-syllable words. By breaking the word down to figure out how to pronounce the word. Use these multisyllabic words worksheets to get started.

For example, if you were to decode the word February it would look like this [Feb / ru / ar / y] (multisyllabic words with closed syllables).

Why Focus on Multisyllabic Words?

Multisyllabic words contain more than one syllable and when clients have sound disorders or an articulation disorder, it can often complicate the production of these longer words. No matter the number of syllables your student is practicing, if you add multisyllabic target words to your speech therapy sessions, then you will help in advancing your clients speech capabilities! This is done through addressing weak syllable deletion and by improving sound production. 

Here are 10 Reasons I have found for practicing multisyllabic words in order to enhance your speech sessions!

1. Improving Phonological Awareness

2. Enhancing Speech Intelligibility

3. Addressing Phonological Disorders

4. Supporting Motor Planning

5. Promoting Vocabulary Expansion

6. Fostering Language Skills

7. Boosting Confidence and Motivation

8. Facilitating Educational Success

9. Enhancing Social Communication

10. Preparing for Real-World Challenges

Effective Resources and Strategies for your MultiSyllabic Speech Therapy Session

There are a couple of indispensable tools that I have found are great ways to encourage the correct productions of a multisyllabic target word! 

One indispensable tool is a multisyllabic word list. This makes practicing target words simple and effective! Below we have created a 430+ Word List divided into 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 syllable words for you to start using as a speech therapy freebie today! Feel free to download our free bundle of 120+ tap out multisyllabic words below as well! Visual aids like multisyllabic task cards are a great resource to have in your tool box! 

Here are a variety of resources and strategies for multisyllabic words!

Interactive Task Cards and Games: 

These tools are fantastic for engaging students in a fun way. Games, dice decks and interactive task cards can help with syllable segmentation and familiarizing students with unfamiliar words. As always, I love to provide you with some of my favorite free downloads, so check out these resources that are tried and true!

1. Multisyllabic Words Speech Kites Craft- Freebie by the SLT Scrapybook is an engaging craft that has 3 pages of multisyllabic task cards and a fun kite craft!
2. Free Halloween Worksheets | Multisyllabic Task Cards | Multisyllabic Word List by Use My Mind Save Your Time is a set of 32 Halloween themed Multi-Syllabic task Cards!
3. FREEBIE! Multisyllabic Word Ring for Four-Syllable Words by The Speech Express is a set of 63 4 Syllable MultiSyllabic Cards to put on a word ring!

Visual Aids and Smash Mats: 

Visual aids, such as smash mats, can support developing speech sounds and phonological awareness skills. By visually breaking down words into their syllable components, students can better understand word positions and correct productions. Here are some great visual aids! 

1. FREE Multisyllabic Words Smash Mats! By Simply Speech is packet of smash mats for 2, 3 and 4 syllable words!
2. FREE Phonics Rules Posters Decoding Strategies One Syllable Multisyllabic Words by One Giggle At A Time is a highly rated visual poster to add to your classroom! 
3. FREE – Multisyllabic Word Lists – Games – Vocabulary by USe My Mind Save Your Time is a free resource with multisyllabic lists and worksheets to practice decoding  while playing games!

Multisyllabic Words Deck: 

A multisyllabic words deck can provide a structured approach to practicing multisyllabic targets. These decks are excellent for home practice and independent work. Here are some TPT Sellers that have highly rated word decks or multisyllabic homework practice! 

1. {Freebie!} Decodable Multisyllabic Word Flashcards by Cassie Carr is a list of multisyllabic words with frequently used word chunks.
2. Short Vowel Multisyllabic Charades Deck – Decodable Charades – Active Phonics! By Endless Phonics is perfect for your active learners! Use this character deck for short vowel multisyllabic practice!

Syllable Segmentation and Minimal Pairs:

Syllable segmentation helps in breaking down complex words into manageable parts, while minimal pairs can highlight different sounds within similar word forms. Here are some great, free resources I found that focus on this! 

1. Reading Intervention-Decoding Multisyllabic Words Science of Reading Freebie by Creative Pathways by Allison Cometa is syllable segmentation and reading intervention freebie for grades 3rd through high school! It is great for decoding prefixes and vowel combinations
2. Closed Syllables Worksheets Decoding Multisyllabic Words Reading Intervention by Conversations in Literacy is a free resource that is print and go and highly rated for use in literacy centers!

Activities for Multisyllabic Words

This multisyllabic words activities bundle includes the following.

• 390+ Multisyllabic words flashcards
• 2 versions of how to decode multisyllabic words (1 with syllables & 1 without syllables)
• 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 syllable words (multisyllabic words with prefixes and suffixes)
• 114 – 2 syllable multisyllabic words
• 114 – 3 syllable multisyllabic words
• 108 – 4 syllable multisyllabic words
• 42 – 5 syllable multisyllabic words
• 18 – 6 syllable multisyllabic words
• Multisyllabic words PDF

​430+ Multisyllabic Words

Here is a list of 430+ Multi Syllabic Words for you to start practicing with today! 

Heads up – These words coordinate with our 120+ tap out words free resource! (below) We also made a complete multisyllabic bundle for you that you can grab at Speech Therapy Store! This bundle includes 390+ Multisyllabic words with a digitally interactive tap out feature! (Not cutting and laminating a whole multisyllabic word deck??? TIME SAVING) This bundle ALSO has 100+ “Would You Rather” Prompt tap out cards – also digitally interactive! Grab that multisyllabic bundle in the Speech Therapy Store Shop!  

Multisyllabic Words List

A multisyllabic word list is a great way to practice goals for speech therapy multisyllabic words.

These lists are great for multisyllabic words 6th-grade level, multisyllabic words 5th-grade level, multisyllabic words 4th-grade level, multisyllabic words 3rd-grade level, multisyllabic words 2nd-grade level, multisyllabic words 1st-grade level. Some of the 2 syllable words could even be used for the multisyllabic words kindergarten level.

	2 Syllable Words	3 Syllable Words	4 Syllable Words	5 Syllable Words
1	kitty	ladybug	dictionary	university
2	cookie	triangle	watercolor	electricity
3	window	newspaper	ballerina	cafeteria
4	sunny	sunflower	macaroni	precipitation
5	zebra	cheeseburger	minnesota	hippopotamus
6	monkey	elephant	babysitter	congratulations
7	garden	raspberry	helicopter	refrigerator
8	castle	bulldozer	alligator	elementary
9	oven	detective	watermelon	multiplication
10	rocket	wheelbarrow	avocado	organization
11	mommy	microwave	kindergarten	personality
12	apple	apricot	elevator	anniversary
13	daddy	astronaut	motorcycle	communication
14	circle	eleven	thermometer	administrator
15	turtle	saturday	invisible	evaluation
16	carrot	tomorrow	apologize	mathematician
17	basket	hamburger	cauliflower	laboratory
18	blindfold	coloring	librarian	vocabulary
19	absent	tomato	excavator	inspirational
20	seven	telephone	caterpillar	unacceptable
21	sister	gigantic	congratulate	paralelogram
22	woman	camera	discovery	accidentally
23	frozen	video	comfortable	alphabetical
24	pancake	marshmallow	transportation	imagination
25	garbage	magazine	intersection	vegetarian
26	teacher	president	secretary	curiosity
27	rabbit	beautiful	combination	disobedient
28	mother	library	population	apologetic
29	paper	afternoon	america	misunderstanding
30	cartoon	pajama	january	unforgettable
31	candy	december	information	unidentified
32	pencil	basketball	independence	procrastination
33	donate	banana	relaxation	individual
34	spider	vacation	television	evaporation
35	boxer	october	vegetable	collaboration
36	ketchup	celery	intelligence	deforestation
37	tiger	cucumber	education	radioactive
38	doctor	underwear	aquarium	elimination
39	glasses	butterfly	environment	supernatural
40	necklace	computer	photography	understandable
41	pocket	umbrella	responsible	classification
42	cowboy	fingerpaint	military	pediatrician
43	baseball	strawberry	disappointment
44	number	octopus	medication
45	napkin	broccoli	remembering
46	zipper	dinosaur	mathematics
47	winter	dishwasher	automobile
48	popcorn	spaghetti	category
49	summer	ponytail	biography
50	hallway	bicycle	temperature
51	people	neighborhood	emotional
52	jacket	dangerous	explanation
53	earring	government	babysitting
54	father	lemonade	pepperoni
55	birthday	disrespect	dehydration
56	study	disagree	emergency
57	purple	rectangle	untouchable
58	honey	tradition	unhappiness
59	student	reflection	unbreakable
60	princess	container	binoculars
61	pumpkin	refreshment	colorado
62	science	employment	interruption
63	music	paragraph	predictable
64	teddy	family	observation
65	water	chocolate	supermarket
66	ladder	piano	photographer
67	toothbrush	animal	occupation
68	tissue	blueberry	rhinoceros
69	table	celebrate	separated
70	backpack	history	hibernating
71	binder	holiday	decoration
72	coffee	envelope	calculator
73	taco	pollution	unicycle
74	hockey	calendar	electrician
75	letter	halloween	february
76	towel	pineapple	deodorant
77	balloon	adjective	delivery
78	pizza	volleyball	asparagus
79	baby	hospital	geography
80	snowflake	piggybank	literature
81	firetruck	policeman	questionable
82	bacon	tortilla	evaporate
83	bunny	screwdriver	tarantula
84	neighbor	grandmother	underwater
85	sleeping	fingernail	armadillo
86	surprise	vitamin	dandelion
87	sandwich	sandwiches	certificate
88	farmer	handwriting	technology
89	Monday	november	superhero
90	reading	barbeque	experiment
91	forehead	grandfather	pacifier
92	weekend	principal	motivation
93	shampoo	popsicle	irregular
94	address	applesauce	conversation
95	grandma	blueberries	professional
96	thursday	tablecloth	ordinary
97	dinner	instrument	alternative
98	breakfast	daffodil	identical
99	pepper	multiply	infinity
100	closet	reporter	cinderella
101	friday	calculate	celebrity
102	finger	opinion	advertising
103	tinfoil	forgetful	malnutrition
104	april	character	unstoppable
105	oval	kangaroo	mozzarella
106	cherry	understand	application
107	question	Africa	apology
108	bathroom	favorite	historical
109	airplane	consonant
110	perfect	syllable
111	thousand	memory
112	country	mystery
113	freedom	happiness
114	husband	potato

	6 Syllable
1	capitalization	7	antibacterial	13	identification
2	responsibility	8	diversification	14	availability
3	veterinarian	9	encyclopedia	15	electrification
4	autobiography	10	overpopulation	16	alphabetization
5	unimaginable	11	accountability	17	disqualification
6	disorganization	12	discontinuation	18	personification

Multisyllabic Words Pictures Freebie!

• This freebie includes 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6 multisyllabic word lists.
• There are two multisyllabic words with pictures versions included.
• One to practice tapping out the divided multisyllabic words for speech therapy.
• The second to identify and decode the word themselves.

Tapping Out the Syllables: Version One

Have your student use their pointer finger to tap the circles and tap out the words.

• For example, tap [kit / ty].

Identify and Decode the Words: Version Two

Use this blank version for how to teach multisyllabic words for your students by having them practice decoding the words themselves. Use the blank circles however you want to motivate your students. Here are a few ideas.

• What are multisyllabic words and write down the syllables.
• Color the circles as you say the syllables.
• Stamp the circles as you say the syllables.
• Put a sticker in the circles as you say the syllables.

Conclusion

Multisyllabic words are so important for both language and articulation development – but there are also so many ways to add them to your speech sessions! We hope this post was informational and helpful for you! Grab your Multisyllabic Freebie below and grab your Complete Multisyllabic Bundle at Speech Therapy Store! 

GRAB YOUR MULTISYLLABIC FREEBIE BY ENTERING YOUR INFO HERE!

Grab Your Multisyllabic Words Free Resource HERE!

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I hope you and your students enjoy this multisyllabic words examples! Be sure to pin and share this syllable words list with your friends.

Also, be sure to grab the multisyllabic word list pdf freebie!

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"85% of words our students encounter in texts are decodable, 15% are regular words. This stresses the importance of teaching our students how to decode." Thank you @carolyn_strom for the learning today! #phonics #multisyllabic #CVC #phonemicawareness pic.twitter.com/e5IV89pnCy

— Stephanie Burns (@stephburns410) October 17, 2018