What does it mean when the meaning is new?

Some compound words do not mean what their parts say. A bookworm is a person who loves to read, not a worm, and a pineapple is not a pine or an apple. The snow day story page has children sort 14 words into these two groups.

How can we practice compound words away from the page?

Take turns naming a word like sun or snow and listing every compound word you can make with it, such as sunset, sunrise and snowflake. The word web page uses this same game.

What is a compound word?

A compound word is two smaller words joined into one new word, like foot + print = footprint. In many compound words, like raincoat and mailbox, the parts tell the meaning. In others, like pineapple and butterfly, the new word means something the parts do not say.

Why do 4th graders still practice compound words?

Long compound words like thunderstorms, grassland and brainstorm show up often in 4th grade reading. Splitting a long word into two known words is a quick way to read it and guess its meaning, and the meaning and clue pages practice that step on its own.

In what order should my child use these sheets?

Start with Circle the Compound Words in Each Sentence, then the snow day story. Next, join words on the Join Two Words page and the word webs. Finish with the meaning page and the clue page, which ask your child to explain words and build them from their parts.

Is there an answer key for each worksheet?

Yes. All 6 compound words sheets have an answer key. Pages where your child writes sentences or meanings show sample answers, since wording can vary.

4th Grade Compound Words Worksheets

Ages 9-10 · Free previews · Print-ready PDFs

Written by Adi Ackerman, Head Teacher

GradeGrades 3 & 4

TopicPrefixes & Suffixes

More prefixes & suffixes worksheets

Explore all of our 4th grade prefixes & suffixes worksheets, covering prefixes and suffixes, prefix and suffix meanings, root words, compound words.

Root words

Frequently Asked Questions

Look for two smaller words that each stand on their own, like class and room in classroom. If both parts are real words and together they make one word, it is a compound word. The sentence and story pages practice spotting them inside longer text.

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