5th grade connotation and denotation worksheets
Fifth graders sort near-synonyms by their glow: confident or bossy, curious or nosy, thrifty or stingy, meeting L.5.5.c through pairs that share a meaning and split an attitude.
Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.5.5.c.
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The kind of words you'll sort
Write each word from the bank in the correct column.
selectivepushynosychattyrecklessboldslenderassertive
Columns: warm glow and cold glow. "slender" belongs under warm glow; "nosy" belongs under cold glow.
Every print pulls a fresh set of word lists at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Sorting. Write each word from the bank in the correct column. 14 words per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Test each word in the compliment frame: 'You are so ___.' Words that flatter go in the warm column; words that would start an argument go cold. The frame makes the invisible glow audible.
Watch for: These word pairs share a dictionary meaning; only the glow differs. That is what makes the sort interesting: you are sorting attitude, not definition. Neither glow is bad to use: writers need cold words for cold moments. The skill is knowing the temperature before you serve the word.
Common questions about connotation and denotation
- What are connotation and denotation?
- Denotation is the dictionary meaning; connotation is the feeling riding along. Slender and scrawny both denote thin, but one warms and one chills.
- Why sort by glow?
- Because the glow is the actual difference in these pairs. Sorting attitude trains the ear that word choice runs on.
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Aligned to Common Core L.5.5.c. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 179, updated August 2026.
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