Five-letter position pattern
5 Letter Words with K as the 3rd Letter
Looking for 5 letter words with K as the 3rd letter? K in the third box usually sits between a vowel and E, as in MAKES, TAKEN, LIKED and JOKES. The patterns and examples below make it quicker to solve Wordle, Scrabble and crossword clues.
362matching five-letter words
5 Letter Words with K as the 3rd Letter
- abkar
- ackee
- acker
- ackey
- akkas
- alkie
- alkin
- alkos
- alkyd
- alkyl
- ankee
- anker
- ankhs
- ankle
- ankus
- arked
- arkie
- askar
- asked
- asker
- askew
- askip
- askoi
- askos
- awkly
- bakal
- baked
- baken
- baker
- bakes
- bakie
- bakli
- bakra
- bekah
- bekko
- biked
- biker
- bikes
- bikie
- boked
- bokeh
- bokes
- bokom
- bokos
- bukes
- byked
- bykes
- caked
- caker
- cakes
- cakey
- cakra
- coked
- cokes
- cokey
- cokie
- cukes
- daker
- dakir
- deked
- dekes
- dekko
- dekle
- dikas
- diked
- diker
- dikes
- dikey
- dukas
- duked
- dukes
- dukhn
- dukka
- dyked
- dyker
- dykes
- dykey
- dykon
- eiked
- eikon
- ekkas
- eskar
- esker
- euked
- ewked
- faked
- faker
- fakes
- fakey
- fakie
- fakir
- fiked
- fikes
- fikey
- fikie
- fyked
- fykes
- hakam
- hakas
- hakea
- hakes
- hakim
- hakus
- hiked
- hiker
- hikes
- hikoi
- hokas
- hoked
- hoker
- hokes
- hokey
- hokis
- hokku
- hokum
- hykes
- icker
- ickle
- inked
- inken
- inker
- inket
- inkie
- inkle
- inkos
- irked
- jakes
- jakey
- jakos
- joked
- joker
- jokes
- jokey
- jokol
- jokul
- juked
- jukes
- jukus
- kakar
- kakas
- kakis
- kakke
- kikar
- kikes
- kikoi
- kokam
- kokan
- kokas
- koker
- kokia
- kokil
- kokio
- kokos
- kokra
- kokum
- kukri
- kukui
- kukus
- laked
- laker
- lakes
- lakey
- lakhs
- lakie
- lakin
- lakke
- laksa
- lekha
- liked
- liken
- liker
- likes
- likin
- lokao
- lokes
- loket
- lukan
- luket
- lyken
- makar
- maker
- makes
- makis
- makos
- makuk
- mekka
- miked
- mikes
- mikie
- mikra
- mokes
- mokis
- mokos
- mokum
- mukti
- naked
- naker
- nakfa
- nakoo
- nikab
- nikah
- nikau
- nikon
- nokta
- nuked
- nukes
- oaked
- oaken
- oaker
- oakum
- ocker
- onker
- onkos
- onkus
- orkey
- otkon
- oukia
- pakka
- pekan
- pekes
- pekin
- pekoe
- pikas
- pikau
- piked
- pikel
- piker
- pikes
- pikey
- pikis
- pikle
- pikul
- pokal
- poked
- poker
- pokes
- pokey
- pokie
- pukas
- puked
- puker
- pukes
- pukey
- pukka
- pukus
- rakan
- raked
- rakee
- raker
- rakes
- rakia
- rakis
- rakit
- rakus
- reked
- rekes
- rekey
- roked
- rokee
- roker
- rokes
- rokey
- rukhs
- ryked
- rykes
- sakai
- saker
- sakes
- sakia
- sakis
- sakti
- sekos
- sekts
- sikar
- sikas
- siker
- sikes
- siket
- sikhs
- sikra
- sokah
- soken
- sokes
- sokol
- sukhs
- sukuk
- syker
- sykes
- takar
- takas
- taked
- taken
- taker
- takes
- takhi
- takin
- takis
- takyr
- tekke
- tekya
- tikas
- tikes
- tikis
- tikka
- tikor
- tikur
- tokay
- toked
- token
- toker
- tokes
- tokos
- tokyo
- tsked
- tukra
- tuktu
- tyken
- tykes
- uckia
- unked
- unken
- unket
- unkey
- unkid
- unkin
- vakas
- vakia
- vakil
- wakan
- wakas
- waked
- waken
- waker
- wakes
- wakfs
- wakif
- wakon
- wekas
- wekau
- wikis
- wokas
- woken
- wokka
- yakin
- yakka
- yakow
- yiked
- yikes
- ylkes
- yoked
- yokel
- yoker
- yokes
- yokul
- yuked
- yukes
- yukky
- yukon
- yukos
- zakah
- zakat
- zokor
The Main Letter Pairs Behind K in the Third Box
Grouping the words by their middle pattern makes them easier to remember. AK gives MAKES, TAKEN and NAKED; SK gives ASKED and ASKEW; IK gives LIKED, BIKES and HIKES; OK gives JOKES, POKER and TOKEN; NK gives ANKLE and INKED.
Useful five-letter words
MAKES, TAKEN, ASKED, LIKED and JOKES are the entries you are most likely to meet in a puzzle. BAKER, ANKLE and TOKEN are worth keeping in reserve.
- MAKES
- TAKEN
- ASKED
- LIKED
- JOKES
A Smart Way to Use the Middle Letter
Test A or I in the second box and E in the fourth, because the vowel plus K plus E shape is behind most of these words. ED and ES endings are common, as in ASKED, LIKED, MAKES and JOKES. With the center in place, the opening and ending decide which of the likely words fits.
Playing These Words in Scrabble
In Scrabble, K is worth five points, so it is one of the most valuable tiles on the rack, and a good word can swing a game. Knowing words like MAKES, TAKEN and ASKED helps you play the tile quickly when it arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Why do so many words with K as the third letter end in ES or ED
They are mostly verbs and plurals built on a short base word, such as MAKE, LIKE and JOKE. Adding S or D gives MAKES, LIKED and JOKES, which is why the fifth box is so often S or D.
Is K a common third letter in five letter words
K is a common third letter in five letter words. Knowing the usual middle patterns is more helpful than guessing blindly.
What are good 5 letter words with K as the 3rd letter to guess first
MAKES, TAKEN and ASKED are good places to start, because they are familiar and spread across different letters. LIKED and JOKES make good follow ups.