5-letter words with K as the 3rd letter and S as the 5th letter

The fixed K in the middle and final S narrow a five-letter search to 95 tournament-dictionary entries. Familiar plurals and verb forms do much of the work: MAKES, TAKES, LIKES, LAKES, and BIKES all fit. Only 14 entries count as common by frequency measure, though, so the complete set soon moves beyond everyday vocabulary; the position clue is more restrictive than the ending alone, which every match shares.

5-letter words with K third and S fifth, key facts

• All 95 matches place K third and S fifth; no other letter position is in play.
• Only 14 are classed as common, including MAKES, TAKES, LIKES, and LAKES.
• Collins lists 93, NWL2023 lists 65, and ENABLE lists 54; coverage overlaps.
• MAKES, TAKES, and LIKES show the familiar verb-ending pattern; JOKES is another everyday pick.
• ZUKES is the top Scrabble scorer at 18 points, ahead of JOKES and JAKES at 16.

Which first letters appear most often?

S and T tie as the most frequent first letters, with nine matches apiece; H, M, P, and R each start seven. The middle K and final S do not force one obvious opening, so the first letter still divides candidates across several groups. Try a familiar word such as MAKES or TAKES only when its first two positions agree with your board.

Dictionary coverage shifts noticeably: Collins lists 93 matches, compared with 65 in NWL2023 and 54 in ENABLE. Those are overlapping word lists, not separate piles to combine. A word accepted in Collins may not transfer to every North American game, so check your game's word list before playing.

How should you use the K and final S?

ZUKES leads the Scrabble scores at 18 points; JOKES and JAKES each score 16. The familiar MAKES and TAKES are easier to spot, but the less familiar high scorers deserve a look when you need points. A scoring rule of thumb: inspect the K and any Z or J before focusing on the final S, since K is worth 5 points, Z 10, and S just 1.

For 5-letter words with K as the 3rd letter and S as the 5th letter, the last-letter clue is fixed across all 95 matches. Changing only that final letter gives 46 matches ending in D and 37 ending in R. Compare those patterns when S is ruled out, or browse the five-letter hub for other position clues.