Free Number Words Worksheets for Kindergarten – Match Numbers 1 to 10

These free printable number words worksheets give kindergarten children ten pages of matching practice. Five numerals run down the left of each page and five number words run down the right, in a different order, and the child draws a line from each numeral to its word.

The numbers covered are 1 to 10, written as one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten. On any one page the five words are exactly the five numerals shown – never a sixth word, never a numeral without a word. It is a matching puzzle, so every line a child draws narrows what is left.

One small design decision makes these pages easier than they look: the numerals down the left are in order, smallest at the top, on all ten pages. A child never has to hunt for the numeral. All the work is on the right-hand side, where the words are shuffled.

What Is in This Free Number Words Worksheet Pack

• Ten printable worksheets, five matches on each page.
• Fifty matches in all, covering the numbers 1 to 10.
• The five words on a page are always exactly the five numerals shown.
• Numerals listed in order down the left; words shuffled down the right.
• No writing needed, only a pencil line.
• A separate PDF for every page, free to download and print.

The 10 Number Words Worksheets

The pages differ in one way that matters more than which numbers are on them: how many numerals happen to sit level with their own word. Those can be joined with a straight line and no reading at all. Across the pack eleven of the fifty matches are like that.

Worksheet 1 – Nothing Lines Up

Not one of the five numerals is level with its own word, so every line crosses another and every word has to be read. A hard first page, and the fairest test in the pack. Numbers on this page: 3, 4, 6, 7 and 10. None of the five line up, so every line crosses another.

Worksheet 2 – Four and Six Sit Opposite Themselves

Two of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line. The page still has three crossings, but it is a gentler start than page 1. Numbers on this page: 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8. 2 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (rows 3, 4).

Worksheet 3 – Nine and Ten on the Same Page

Nine and ten are the last two words in the range, and the two a child has had least practice with. Having both on one page makes it a good check on the upper end. Numbers on this page: 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10. 1 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (row 3).

Worksheet 4 – Three and Seven Together

Three and seven are both five letters long and both start and end with a consonant, so on the page they take up the same amount of room. Here they are in the same list, which is where a child finds out whether they are reading the word or its outline. Numbers on this page: 2, 3, 4, 7 and 10. 1 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (row 3).

Worksheet 5 – One at the Top, Ten at the Bottom

Both ends of the range are level with their own words, so the page opens and closes with a straight line. The three in the middle all cross. Numbers on this page: 1, 5, 8, 9 and 10. 2 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (rows 1, 5).

Worksheet 6 – The Words Run Backwards

The numerals climb 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 while the words fall nine, eight, seven, one, two. Almost every line crosses, which makes the finished page look like a bow. Numbers on this page: 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9. 1 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (row 3).

Worksheet 7 – Fully Crossed Again

Nothing lines up. One of only three pages in the pack where every single match has to be read rather than seen. Numbers on this page: 1, 5, 6, 8 and 10. None of the five line up, so every line crosses another.

Worksheet 8 – The Third Fully Crossed Page

Another page with no straight lines at all. Four and five sit next to each other here, and both words start with the letter f, so the pair has to be read to the end. Numbers on this page: 1, 4, 5, 8 and 10. None of the five line up, so every line crosses another.

Worksheet 9 – The Easiest Page: Three Straight Lines

Three of the five sit opposite their own words. A child can finish most of this page without reading anything, which makes it a confidence page rather than a test. Numbers on this page: 1, 3, 4, 7 and 10. 3 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (rows 3, 4, 5).

Worksheet 10 – A Last Look at One, Five and Ten

The pack ends on 1, 4, 5, 9 and 10. Only the five lines up with its word, so four of the five matches still have to be read. Numbers on this page: 1, 4, 5, 9 and 10. 1 of the five can be joined with a straight horizontal line (row 3).

Three Pages Cannot Be Done Without Reading

This is worth checking before you hand a page over. When a numeral happens to sit level with its own word, a child can join them with a straight line and never read anything. Eleven of the fifty matches in the pack are like that, and they are not spread evenly.

Page 9 has three of them, which makes it the easiest page here by some way. Pages 1, 7 and 8 have none at all. On those three every line crosses another, and there is no route through the page except reading each word and finding its numeral.

So the pack contains two different exercises wearing the same cover. If you want to know whether your child can read number words, use page 1, 7 or 8. If you want a page that will go well after a long day, use page 9 or page 5. The page itself does not tell you which one you have picked up.

The numbers are not used equally either. Ten appears on eight of the ten pages and one on six, while two appears on only three. That is sensible – ten is the word children need most and the one they meet last – but it is worth knowing if the number you are working on is two.

When Children Are Ready for These Worksheets

These pages suit children from about four and a half to six. A child is ready when they can name the numerals 1 to 10 on sight. Reading the words is the thing being learned, so it does not need to be there yet; read them aloud together for the first page or two and then stop.

Number words sit across two subjects, which is what makes them awkward and worth doing. The numeral side is K.CC.A.3, knowing and writing the numerals to 20. The word side is reading: RF.K.3.C, reading common high-frequency words by sight. Number words appear early on the sight-word lists used in most classrooms, and a child who can count to ten perfectly can still be unable to read the word “eight”.

How to Use These Worksheets

1. Print one page on ordinary paper.
2. Read the numerals down the left together first. That side is free; it is there to be used.
3. Take the words one at a time, from the right. Read the word, then find its numeral – not the other way round. Starting from the numeral lets a child match by elimination without reading.
4. Draw the line. Crossings are expected.
5. At the end, follow each line with a finger and say it out loud: “seven, seven”. Five lines, five pairs.

Three Things to Watch For

Matching by position instead of reading

On page 9, three of the five can be joined straight across. It is not cheating, but it means the page has tested nothing. Notice it and move to page 1, 7 or 8.

“Four” and “five” changing places

Both begin with f, both are short, and they sit next to each other in the counting sequence. Page 8 has them together. Cover everything after the first letter and build the two words up side by side.

Leaving the last line undrawn

A child who has matched four pairs knows the fifth without reading it, and often will not bother to look. Ask them to read it anyway. The last word on the page is the only one that never has to be read, so it is the one most likely to stay unlearned.

Printing Tips

• Choose Actual size or Fit to page in the print dialog – both keep the page in proportion.
• Each page fills one sheet and works on US Letter and A4 paper.
• Ordinary copier paper is fine. Card is only worth it if you want the page to survive an eraser.
• Grayscale printing is fine here. The numerals and words are dark and the color is only decoration.
• A page in a plastic wallet with a dry-wipe pen can be reused, which is worth doing because the pairings never change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age are these number words worksheets for?

About four and a half to six years old: pre-K and kindergarten.

Which numbers are covered?

One to ten, as numerals and as words. Five of them appear on each page.

Which page is the best test of reading?

Page 1, 7 or 8. On those three no numeral is level with its own word, so nothing can be matched without reading. Page 9 is the easiest, with three straight-line matches.

Does my child need to read already?

No. Read the words aloud together at first. The reading is what these pages build, not what they assume.

Is there an answer key?

None is needed. Reading each pair aloud at the end settles everything, and doing that is the exercise.

Do I need to sign up to download these?

No. Every PDF downloads immediately, with no account, no email address and no cost.

Can I use these in my classroom?

Yes, they are free to print for home and classroom use. Please do not sell them or re-host the files elsewhere.

More Free Number Worksheets

• Free Number Tracing Worksheets 1-10 for Kindergarten – Trace, Count and Write
• Free Counting 1 to 10 Worksheets for Preschool and Kindergarten – Count and Write
• Free Ten Frame Worksheets for Kindergarten – Count to 10
• Free Missing Numbers Worksheets 1-20 for Kindergarten – Fill In the Chart
• Free Ordinal Numbers Worksheets for Kindergarten – First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth
• Free Color Words Worksheets for Kindergarten – Match 9 Colors and Words