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Compound Word Meanings

A Grade 3 ELA worksheet focusing on understanding the meaning of compound words by breaking them into their root words.

Grade 3 ELA GrammarLanguage and VocabularyLanguageCompound WordsMeaning of Compound Words
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Includes

TextMatchingFill in the BlanksShort AnswerMultiple ChoiceTrue / False

Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.4.d

Topics

ELAGrade 3Compound WordsVocabularyLanguage Arts
8 sections · Free to use · Printable
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Compound Word Meanings

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Date:

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Read each question carefully and follow the instructions. This worksheet will help you understand compound words.

What are Compound Words?

A compound word is made when two smaller words are joined together to make a new word with a new meaning. For example, 'sun' + 'flower' = 'sunflower'. A sunflower is a flower that looks like the sun!

Match each compound word with the two smaller words that make it up.

1. doorbell

 

a. cup + cake

2. cupcake

 

b. door + bell

3. sandbox

 

c. sand + box

4. butterfly

 

d. butter + fly

Complete each sentence by writing the meaning of the compound word. Think about the two smaller words.

1. A 'rainbow' is a bow of   in the sky.

2. A 'toothbrush' is a brush for your  .

3. 'Popcorn' is corn that  .

4. A 'bookmark' is a mark in a  .

Think of two small words that can be joined to make a compound word. Write the two words and then the new compound word. Then, explain what your new compound word means.

Smaller word 1:  

Smaller word 2:  

Compound Word:  

Meaning:  

Which of these words is a compound word?

a

apple

b

butterfly

c

table

d

happy

Read each statement. Is it true or false?

1. The word 'bedroom' is a compound word.

T

True

F

False