Download Synonyms, Antonyms and Homonyms

Vocabulary
Synonyms
Synonyms help give your writing
more variety. Using synonyms in
place of the usual words can give a
slightly different meaning to a word
or sentence.
A synonym is a word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another
word. For example, splendid and superb both mean “extremely good.” You
could use them in sentences like this: That meal was splendid. or That meal
was superb. The meaning in each sentence is the same.
1.
Circle the words in each group that are synonyms of the key word.
(a) gone:
away
(b) poem: verse
(c) call:
2.
remember
movie
announce
departed
ballad
stand
yell
speech
shout
vanished
today
check ended
limerick rhyme
street
lost
ceiling
walk invite proclaim run
In each sentence, circle the synonym in parentheses that you think fits the sentence best.
(a) We had the (best, leading) time at the circus on Friday!
(b) Our dog, Growl, came with us in our (vehicle, car).
(c) He wanted to (run, bolt) from the seat once we (arrived, reached) the circus grounds.
(d) A (security, defence) officer (blocked, stopped) our entrance to the area because of Growl.
3.
4.
For each word, give at least two synonyms.
Use a thesaurus to help you.
A thesaurus is a book of synonyms and other related words. It
will give you many words to choose from so that you can get just
the right one. (A thesaurus also lists antonyms, or opposites of the
words.)
(a) break: ________________________________
(c) middle: __________________________________
(b) boat: _________________________________
(d) hat: _____________________________________
Use any six of your synonyms in three sentences.
(a) ______________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) ______________________________________________________________________________________
(c) ______________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
5.
Rewrite this sentence using synonyms of the boldfaced words.
The robbers sneaked into the building to steal the jewels from the display in the window.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Find examples of synonyms in everyday writing, such as newspaper or magazine articles. Circle or highlight
them for use in your writing at a future date.
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Antonyms are words that are opposite in meaning. For example,
night and day, high and low are each opposite in meaning.
1.
Circle the word that is an antonym of each key word.
(a) big: tall
enormous
(b) clean: spotless
(c) happy: sad
2.
3.
Antonyms can be found in a
thesaurus.
small
smooth
glad
fine
middle
wrinkled
joyous
light
dirty
soft
content
Give antonyms for these words. (HINT: Use a thesaurus to help
you find the antonyms.)
Some words may have more
than one antonym.
left: _____________________________________
dull: _____________________________________
polite: ___________________________________
agree: ____________________________________
false: ____________________________________
less: _____________________________________
close: ___________________________________
fresh: ____________________________________
dry: _____________________________________
foolish: ___________________________________
Rewrite this sentence using antonyms for the boldfaced words.
We were very busy as we spent the morning preparing for the trip out West.
________________________________________________________________________________________
What does using antonyms do to the meaning of the sentence? _______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
4.
There is something wrong with some words in this advertisement! Rewrite it using antonyms for
words that you think need to be replaced.
GRIPPER SHOES
These are the worst shoes you will ever wear!
_______________________________
______
You won’t put them on in the day!
_______________________________
______
You won’t wear them at night!
_______________________________
______
They’re so heavy, you’ll hate them!
_______________________________
______
All you need to do is buy a pair.
_______________________________
______
They’re expensive! So expensive, you won’t
_______________________________
______
want to lose them at your far-away store!
_______________________________
______
GRIPPER SHOES! The shoes that are weak!
_______________________________
______
Return them tomorrow!
_______________________________
______
Select a favourite song lyric. Rewrite it using antonyms for certain words. How has this changed the meaning
of the song?
Vocabulary
Homonyms
Homonyms are words that sound the same but have different
meanings and spellings. For example, meet and meat are homonyms.
1.
2.
Homonyms are words that sound the same
but have different meanings.
Write a homonym for each of these words. (HINT: Check your homonyms in a dictionary for
spelling.)
there: ____________________
herd: _____________________
dear: _____________________
sight: ____________________
beet: _____________________
ate: ______________________
boar: ____________________
one: _____________________
wood: ____________________
Circle the correct homonym in parentheses in each sentence.
(a) We sat in (rose, rows) at the concert last (knight, night).
(b) (Our, Hour) tickets were (presence, presents) from a (guest, guessed) at my Dad’s (sweet, suite).
(c) After the show, we (through, threw) ourselves into a cab and went to a restaurant on the (peer,
pier).
(d) (They’re, There), we had a (Sunday, sundae) big enough (for, fore) (all, awl) of us to eat!
3.
Complete these sentences using homonyms for the boldfaced words.
(a) I got the tow line caught on my __________________!
(b) He rowed the boat to the __________________, then he ______________ a bicycle home.
(c) I’ve seen that particular ___________________ in this movie many times.
(d) Do you want this oar, _________________ do you want that one?
(e) I hear that they’ll arrive __________________ soon, and they will bring a whole load of dirt to
fill the _______________________.
4.
Write sentences using these homonym pairs.
(a) two, too: ______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
(b) tail, tale: ______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
(c) sail, sale: ______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
(d) links, lynx: ____________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________