Spell Bee Word: Ache

What does ache mean?

Word: Ache

Part of Speech: Verb

Meaning: Ache means to feel a dull pain that goes on for a while, like tired legs after a long walk. It is also a noun for that kind of pain.

Synonyms: throb

How do you spell ache?

Syllables: ache

Tricky part: We hear a k sound, but ache writes that sound with c and h.

Watch out for: ake, aik

Memory tip: Ache sits inside headache and toothache. In all three, ch says k, just as it does in school.

Ache in a sentence

Example 1: My legs ached after the long trek.

Example 2: Grandma's knees ache when the weather turns cold.

Example 3: I had a dull ache in my tooth all night.

Fun Fact

For hundreds of years the verb was spelt ake. Samuel Johnson's dictionary of 1755 helped fix the spelling ache, because he believed, wrongly, that it came from a Greek word for pain.

Practise the CREST Way

Word Connection

Choose the synonym of the word:

ache

a) rest
b) smile
c) hurt
d) heal

Word Cookie

Insert the correct letter to form a word:

_che

a) a
b) e
c) i
d) o

Word Cookie

Find the extra letter in the word:

achee

a) c
b) e
c) h
d) a

Spell-o-Spell

Choose the incorrectly spelt word:

a) elbow
b) finger
c) sholder
d) ache

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Ravi carried a heavy school bag all day, and now his back aches. How does it feel?

a) sore and tired
b) light and strong
c) warm and itchy
d) cold and wet

2. What is most likely to make your legs ache the next day?

a) a warm bath
b) a glass of milk
c) a short nap
d) a whole day of football