2nd Grade Synonyms Worksheets
Synonyms are words with nearly the same meaning: happy and glad, fast and quick, small and little. Second graders match everyday pairs, which quietly grows their vocabulary in both directions; every new synonym is a second way to say something they already know.
Free printable PDF. 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.
The kind of sentences you'll get
Circle the letter of the word that means almost the same.
-
Leaves drop in autumn, so we rake them every ______ .
spoon · fall · summer
Answer: fall
- When the bell rings to start class, we ______ our morning work. begin · stop · sneeze
- Ben was happy at his party, and everyone could see how ______ he felt. angry · glad · sleepy
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
- Choose the word. Circle the letter of the word that means almost the same. 8 questions per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
The swap test does the teaching: read the sentence with each choice and ask whether the meaning stays the same. "The glad puppy" works where "the angry puppy" changes the story. Keep pairs concrete and familiar; the goal is the idea of synonyms, not rare vocabulary.
Watch for: Synonyms mean almost the same, not exactly the same. Big and gigantic are both large, but gigantic is bigger. A word about the same topic isn't a synonym: orange isn't a synonym for pumpkin just because pumpkins are orange.
Common questions about synonyms
- What is a synonym in kid terms?
- A word twin: two words that mean almost the same thing. Happy and glad, fast and quick, little and small. If you can swap one for the other and the sentence still means the same, they're synonyms.
- Why learn synonyms at all?
- Every synonym doubles a child's ways to understand and say something. A reader who knows quick can figure out speedy; a writer stuck on nice can reach for kind or friendly. It's vocabulary growth with a built-in use.
Related worksheets
Ready to print one?
One page, answer key included. A fresh version every time you click.
Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.