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2nd Grade Prefixes Worksheets

A prefix is a word part attached to the front of a base word that changes what it means. Second graders work with the heavy hitters: un- (not), re- (again), dis- (opposite of), mis- (wrongly), and pre- (before). Knowing five prefixes quietly unlocks hundreds of words.

Free printable PDF, aligned to Common Core L.2.4.b. One skill per page, answer key on page two.

Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.

A sample 2nd grade sheet. Yours will have different sentences. Click it to print your own.

The kind of sentences you'll get

Circle the letter of the word with the correct prefix.

  1. My shoelace is in a knot I cannot ______ . pretie · retie · untie

    Answer: untie

  2. I can't get in! Please ______ the door. unlock · mislock · relock
  3. I will ______ my lumpy bed. remake · unmake · premake

Every print draws a fresh mix of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.

What's on each sheet

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Teach each prefix as a tiny machine with one job: un- flips things off or backward, re- runs them again. Build words physically with two cards (un + lock) and slide them together. When your child meets a wrong option like "relock the door I can't open," ask what the sentence wants the word to do.

Watch for: A prefix changes meaning, not spelling: the base word keeps all its letters (re + read = reread). Not every word that starts with those letters has a prefix. Uncle isn't un + cle.

Common questions about prefixes

Which prefixes should a 2nd grader know?
Un-, re-, dis-, mis-, and pre- cover most of what 2nd graders meet: unhappy, reread, disagree, misplace, preheat. Each has one plain meaning, and once a child knows un- means not, they can decode dozens of new words without help.
How do I explain what a prefix does?
Call it a meaning changer glued to the front. Lock is something you do with a key; unlock is the reverse; relock means do it again. The base word never changes its spelling, which is why prefixes are such dependable clues.

Related worksheets

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Aligned to Common Core L.2.4.b. Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.