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Vocabulary Words for 2nd Graders

13 free PDFsUS Letter or A4Answer key includedNo login

40 2nd grade vocabulary words in four sets with kid-friendly meanings, word cards, match-the-meaning and sentence pages, plus shades of meaning, multiple-meaning words and a word map.

Download the vocabulary words for 2nd graders worksheets

2nd grade vocabulary list and word cards

All 40 words with meanings, and cut-apart word cards with an example sentence for each.

Set 1, describing words: brave, curious, gentle, proud, nervous, cozy, enormous, fragile, delicious, exhausted

Set 2, action words: gather, explore, protect, discover, observe, collect, wander, predict, imagine, celebrate

Set 3, school words: compare, describe, explain, solve, measure, choose, create, practice, improve, notice

Set 4, world words: habitat, journey, shelter, ancient, distant, community, harvest, village, creature, pattern

Word meaning skills

Order words by strength, use a sentence to choose the right meaning, and map any new word.

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

About these vocabulary words for 2nd graders worksheets

These vocabulary words for 2nd graders are useful words children hear in books and lessons but don't use every day yet: brave, curious, fragile, explore, predict, compare, habitat, journey and more. Knowing them helps children understand what they read and say exactly what they mean when they talk and write.

The 40 words come in four sets of ten: describing words (brave, curious, gentle, proud ...), action words (gather, explore, protect, discover ...), school words (compare, describe, explain, solve ...) and world words (habitat, journey, shelter, ancient ...). Each word has a short, kid-friendly meaning and an example sentence on the word cards. Each set has a match-the-meaning page and a sentence page where children choose the word that makes sense.

Three more pages stretch word knowledge: shades of meaning (warm, hot, boiling), multiple-meaning words like bat and bark, and a blank word map for any new word. Every page prints in black and white on US Letter or A4 with an answer key on page 2 where there are right answers.

Standards

  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing flexibly from an array of strategies.
  • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.2.4.AUse sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
  • 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. Teach one set at a time, two or three words a day. Read the word card together, talk about the meaning and act out or draw the word.
  2. Use the words on purpose all week: in questions, in read-alouds and in your own talk. Children need to meet a word many times to own it.
  3. At the end of the week, use the match-the-meaning page and the sentence page to check understanding.
  4. Use the word map for new words from books, science or social studies.

Teaching tips

  • Give a meaning in your child's own words, then an example from their life: You were curious when you opened the box to see what was inside.
  • Ask for examples and non-examples. Is a feather fragile? Is a rock fragile? Why?
  • Shades of meaning build precise writing. Instead of very hot, a child can write boiling.

Questions teachers and parents ask

What vocabulary words should a 2nd grader know?

Useful 2nd grade words describe feelings and things (brave, curious, gentle, proud, nervous, cozy, enormous, fragile, delicious, exhausted), actions (gather, explore, protect, discover, observe, collect, wander, predict, imagine, celebrate), school tasks (compare, describe, explain, solve, measure, choose, create, practice, improve, notice) and the world (habitat, journey, shelter, ancient, distant, community, harvest, village, creature, pattern).

How do I teach vocabulary words to a 2nd grader?

Teach a few words at a time. Give a simple meaning, use the word in a sentence about your child's life, ask for an example, and keep using the word all week. The word cards, matching pages and sentence pages give extra practice.

What are shades of meaning?

Shades of meaning are small differences between words that mean almost the same thing, like warm, hot and boiling, or whisper, talk and shout. Ordering them helps children choose the most exact word.

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with more than one meaning, like bat (an animal or a stick for hitting a ball). Children use the rest of the sentence to choose the meaning that fits.

Are these vocabulary worksheets free?

Yes. The list, word cards and every worksheet are free PDFs with no sign-up.