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Grade 3 · Spelling · Morphology

3rd Grade Prefixes worksheets

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Prefixes

Grade 3 Spelling Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Circle the answer.

  1. Which word is made of the prefix "re" and a base word?

    • reach
    • refill
    • ready
  2. Add "un" to "lock". Which word is spelled correctly?

    • un-lock
    • unlock
    • un lock
  3. What does "preheat" mean?

    • not heat
    • heat before using
    • heat again
  4. Take off the prefix. What base word is left in "dislike"?

    • like
    • dis
    • ike
  5. Which word means "spell the wrong way"?

    • unspell
    • respell
    • misspell
  6. Which word is made of the prefix "un" and a base word?

    • until
    • unsafe
    • unit
  7. Add "re" to "tell". Which word is spelled correctly?

    • ritell
    • retell
    • re tell
  8. What does "preschool" mean?

    • a school for children before kindergarten
    • the wrong school
    • a place that is not a school
  9. Take off the prefix. What base word is left in "disobey"?

    • obey
    • dis
    • bey
  10. Which word means "take things out of a bag or box"?

    • unpack
    • prepack
    • repack
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3rd Grade Prefixes worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Prefixes are word parts added to the beginning of a base word. They change meaning in predictable ways, but the base word usually remains visible. Third graders may know that un means not in one word and fail to transfer that meaning to another, or they may spell a prefix as a separate word. This worksheet focuses on common Grade 3 prefixes: re, un, pre, dis, and mis. Students tell a real prefix from a word that only starts with the same letters, join a prefix to a base with the right spelling, choose the meaning of the new word, find the base word, and match a meaning to a prefixed word.

Each level has its own words, from refill and unlock to rearrange and misunderstand. Encourage your child to cover the prefix, read the base, then uncover the prefix and explain what changed.

What your child will learn

  • Identify common prefixes at the start of words
  • Combine a prefix with a base word
  • Use prefix meaning to define a new word
  • Spell prefixed words without adding spaces

Common Core standard: RF.3.3.A

Worked example

Reread means read again. The prefix re means again, and the base word is read.

Common mistake

Treating the prefix as a separate word instead of joining it to the base.

Helpful hint

Read the base word, then add the prefix meaning.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with prefixes?

Treating the prefix as a separate word instead of joining it to the base.

How can I help my child with prefixes?

Read the base word, then add the prefix meaning.

Are these 3rd grade spelling worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Suffixes · Spelling Rules for Word Endings

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