Free Synonyms Activity with Cut and Paste Worksheets

This free synonyms activity came about because Alex, my eldest son, had been confusing synonyms, antonyms, and homophones. I decided it was time to get creative and help him remember the difference!

Before I tell you what we did, let’s begin with the finished result. Here is Alex’s masterpiece!

Learning What Synonyms Are

The main idea I wanted Alex to remember was simple:

Synonyms are words with the same or similar meanings.

Now, you may remember that this is my munchkin who does not enjoy completing worksheets or writing. He is also the little fellow who leaves his homework until the last minute, possibly hoping it will somehow complete itself!

I am still not entirely sure what he is waiting for.

Because I knew that a page filled with writing would not excite him, I chose a hands on matching activity instead. It gave him an opportunity to concentrate on the meaning of each word without worrying about writing the answers.

Much to his relief, this part of the activity required no writing at all!

Matching Synonym Words

We borrowed Filip’s desk so I could take some photos, and then we got started with Set 1 from my Synonyms Center and Worksheets resource.

Alex read the words and matched each one with a word that had the same or a similar meaning.

He LOVED it!

The matching format made the activity feel more like a game than a worksheet. It also encouraged him to compare the meanings of the words carefully before making each match.

This was exactly the kind of practice he needed. He could focus on understanding synonyms without becoming discouraged by a large amount of writing.

Completing the Cut and Paste Synonyms Activity

After Alex completed the matching activity, he moved on to the follow up page.

First, he cut apart the words.

Cutting the cards gave him another opportunity to look at and read each word. It also added a practical, hands on element to the lesson.

Next, he colored the pictures.

The pictures provided helpful visual clues and supported his understanding of the vocabulary. Of course, coloring also made the activity much more appealing than a traditional written worksheet!

Finally, Alex glued each word beside its synonym.

By this stage, he had already seen the word pairs during the matching activity. Cutting, coloring, and gluing them gave him another chance to review the same vocabulary.

The repeated practice helped reinforce the idea that synonyms are different words with similar meanings.

Reinforcing the Meaning of Synonyms

This was our introductory session, so I did not place too much pressure on Alex to repeat the definition.

My main goal was for him to enjoy the activity and begin making a connection between the word pairs.

The following day, we planned to work on Set 2. Each time Alex made a match, I was going to ask him to tell me what a synonym was.

With five sets to complete, I felt quite sure that he would remember the definition by the time we reached the end of the unit!

Sometimes children need to meet the same concept several times and in several different ways. Matching, cutting, coloring, and gluing turned this vocabulary lesson into something far more memorable for Alex.

Happy Teaching!

Download the Free Synonyms Activity

Would you like to try this activity with your children or students? You can download the first synonyms set free here.

Purchase the Complete Synonym Center and Worksheets Activity

The complete Synonyms Center and Worksheets resource includes five matching sets with follow up cut and paste worksheets.

The activities provide plenty of repeated practice while helping children build vocabulary and understand that synonyms are words with the same or similar meanings.

Click the store link below to get the complete resource.

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