Every January, educators and parents look for meaningful ways to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. While there are many resources available, few things are as powerful as going directly to the source text.
Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, is a masterclass in rhetoric and a cornerstone of American history. To help your students engage deeply with these famous words, we’ve created a Free “I Have a Dream” MLK Speech Fill-in-the-Blanks Worksheet.
Why Use a Fill-in-the-Blanks (Cloze) Activity?
This worksheet isn’t just about memorization; it’s about active listening and close reading. By removing key words from the text, students are forced to slow down and pay attention to the specific vocabulary Dr. King chose to convey his message.
This activity helps students:
- Analyze Primary Sources: Engage directly with historical text.
- Improve Vocabulary: Encounter powerful words like “creed,” “sweltering,” “oppression,” and “interposition.”
- Retain Information: The act of writing the missing words reinforces memory retention of the speech’s core themes.
What’s Inside the MLK Speech Worksheet?
This one-page printable focuses on the most iconic section of the speech: the “I have a dream” sequence. It guides students through the crescendo of the address, covering:
- The vision of the “American dream”.
- The reference to the Declaration of Independence and the belief that “all men are created equal”.
- The specific geography of the dream, from the “red hills of Georgia” to the state of Mississippi.
- The famous hope for his children to be judged by the “content of their character”.
3 Ways to Use This Worksheet in Your Classroom
1. The Active Listening Challenge
Play the audio recording of Dr. King delivering the speech (widely available online). Ask students to listen carefully and fill in the blanks as they hear them. This turns a passive listening exercise into an active scavenger hunt for words.
2. Vocabulary & Metaphor breakdown
Before handing out the sheet, discuss the metaphors Dr. King uses. For example, look at the line about a state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression being transformed into an oasis. Ask students why he chose words related to heat and water.
3. Memorization Tool
For older students required to memorize a portion of the speech, this worksheet serves as an excellent practice test to check their recall before the final presentation.
Teacher’s Guide & Answer Key
To save you time, here is the answer key corresponding to the blanks in the worksheet:
- Let us not wallow in the valley of despair.
- even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow.
- deeply rooted in the American dream.
- that all men are created equal.
- red hills of Georgia.
- sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners.
- sit down together at the table of brotherhood.
- state of Mississippi.
- heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression.
- transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
- my four little children.
- judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
Usage Terms
These printable worksheets are provided free for personal and educational use only. By downloading, you agree:
- Not to sell, redistribute, or use commercially.
- Not to claim as your own work.
- Not to host the PDF file on other websites (please link back to this page instead).
Optional attribution is appreciated but not required. Perfect for classroom, homeschool, and personal use.
Please share the link to this article rather than the PDF directly.
Download Your Free “I Have a Dream” MLK Speech Fill-in-the-Blanks Printable Worksheet
Getting your free printable is simple! Click the link below to download the PDF file and start the fun today.
