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Onomatopoeia Worksheets

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Hear, find, sort, and write sound words with a chart, practice pages, a poem, and a writing prompt.

Download the onomatopoeia worksheets

Onomatopoeia chart

Sound words grouped by family, animals, water, machines, and crashes, each with an example sentence.

Find and choose sound words

Circle the sound words in sentences, then choose the sound word that fits best.

Sound word sort

Sort sound words into animal, water, and machine sounds, as cut and paste or with no cutting.

Sound words in a poem

An original poem about a noisy Saturday morning, with questions about its sound words.

Write a noisy scene

Plan and write a scene in a noisy place using at least five sound words.

Print at 100% (actual size) for the cleanest tracing lines.

About these onomatopoeia worksheets

Onomatopoeia (say it on-uh-mat-uh-PEE-uh) is a word that sounds like the sound it names. Say "buzz," "sizzle," or "thud" out loud and you can almost hear a bee, bacon in a pan, or a heavy book hitting the floor. Sound words like these let readers hear a scene, not just see it.

Sound words come in families. Animals: moo, oink, quack, purr, chirp, and croak. Water: splash, drip, gurgle, plop, and fizz. Machines: beep, whir, click, vroom, and tick-tock. Crashes and bangs: crash, bang, boom, clang, and thump. Many sound words are also verbs, so "the bees buzzed" and "the door slammed" both use onomatopoeia.

Onomatopoeia is different from alliteration. Alliteration repeats the same beginning sound ("big brown bears"), while onomatopoeia imitates a real noise. A sound word can stand alone, too: "Crash! The tray hit the floor." Comic strips and poems use onomatopoeia often, because it adds energy and rhythm.

These worksheets start with a chart grouped by sound family. Children then circle sound words in sentences, choose the sound word that fits, sort sound words into animal, water, and machine sounds, read an original poem full of Saturday morning sounds, and write a noisy scene of their own.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.4Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology (e.g., Herculean).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.3.DUse concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.3.AChoose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.4.5Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

How to use them

  1. Read the chart aloud with lots of expression. Add sound words from your own house.
  2. Do Find the Sound Words and Choose the Sound Word, saying each sentence quietly to listen.
  3. Use the sort (cut and paste or no-cut) to group sound words into families.
  4. Read Saturday Morning Sounds, then plan and write a noisy scene.

Teaching tips

  • Close your eyes for one minute and list every sound you hear. Then turn each into a sound word.
  • Invent sound words. "Tch-tch-tch" for a sprinkler is real onomatopoeia if it imitates the sound.
  • In writing, a sound word at the start of a sentence ("Splat!") grabs the reader.
  • Spelling varies for some sound words ("ding-dong" or "ding dong"). Accept sensible spellings.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What is onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeia is a word that imitates the sound it describes, like "buzz," "splash," "beep," or "crash."

How do you say and spell onomatopoeia?

Say it on-uh-mat-uh-PEE-uh. Spell it o-n-o-m-a-t-o-p-o-e-i-a. A trick: "onomato" then "poeia," with the "oe" making the long e sound.

What are some examples of onomatopoeia?

Animal sounds (moo, quack, hiss), water sounds (drip, splash, gurgle), machine sounds (beep, whir, vroom), and crashes (bang, thud, boom) are all onomatopoeia.

Is onomatopoeia figurative language?

Yes. Onomatopoeia is usually taught as a kind of figurative language and a sound device. It helps readers hear what is happening.

What is the difference between onomatopoeia and alliteration?

Onomatopoeia imitates a real sound ("sizzle"). Alliteration repeats the same beginning sound in nearby words ("silly seals sang"). A sentence can use both: "The sausages sizzled."