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Synonyms and Antonyms Worksheets

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A chart plus matching, sorting, replacing words, writing antonyms and shades of meaning, with answer keys.

Download the synonyms and antonyms worksheets

Synonyms and antonyms together

Learn both words, then tell synonyms from antonyms and sort them.

Synonyms

Match and use words that mean the same or almost the same.

Antonyms

Match and write words that mean the opposite.

Shades of meaning

Put close words in order and find the stronger word.

  • Preview of the printable “Shades of Meaning: put in order” worksheet: ordering words with close meanings from weakest to strongest (warm, hot, boiling)View all 2 pages

    Shades of Meaning: put in order

    Ordering words with close meanings from weakest to strongest (warm, hot, boiling)

    Answer key on page 2

    US LetterPDFA4PDF

    2 pages65 KB

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

About these synonyms and antonyms worksheets

Synonyms are words that mean the same or almost the same, like big and large. Antonyms are words that mean the opposite, like hot and cold. Knowing both helps children understand what they read and choose stronger words when they write.

These synonyms and antonyms worksheets start with a chart. Practice pages ask children to match synonyms and match antonyms, decide if a pair is synonyms or antonyms, sort words for happy (cut and paste or write), replace a word with a synonym, write the antonym, and work with shades of meaning: putting words like warm, hot and boiling in order and choosing the stronger word.

Every page with right answers has an answer key.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.5.BDistinguish shades of meaning among closely related verbs (e.g., toss, throw, hurl) and closely related adjectives (e.g., thin, slender, skinny, scrawny).
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.6Use words and phrases acquired through conversations, reading and being read to, and responding to texts, including using adjectives and adverbs to describe (e.g., When other kids are happy that makes me happy).

How to use them

  1. Start with the chart and think of a synonym and an antonym for one word together.
  2. Do the matching pages next.
  3. Use synonym or antonym and the sort to tell the two apart.
  4. Finish with the shades of meaning pages to build word choice for writing.

Teaching tips

  • Synonym and same both start with s. Antonym and opposite can be remembered as anti, against.
  • Synonyms are rarely exact. Talk about small differences: a giggle is not quite a laugh.
  • Use a beginning thesaurus to find synonyms together.
  • Play a quick oral game: I say hot, you say the antonym.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What is the difference between synonyms and antonyms?

Synonyms mean the same or almost the same. Antonyms mean the opposite.

What are shades of meaning?

Words that mean almost the same thing but differ in strength, like warm, hot and boiling, or annoyed, angry and furious.

Do the worksheets have answer keys?

Yes. Every practice page has an answer key.