Vocabulary Worksheet · Grades 4–6
Capitonyms Worksheet
A printable vocabulary worksheet for grades 4-6 that introduces capitonyms – words that change meaning when capitalized. Students choose the lowercase or capitalized form for 12 sentences and meanings. A complete answer key is included.
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Subject
Vocabulary
Grades
Grades 4–6
Skill Focus
Capitonyms, word meaning
Lesson Length
15 minutes
Lesson Overview
About this worksheet
A capital letter can do more than start a sentence – sometimes it changes a word’s whole meaning. ‘China’ is a country, but ‘china’ is a kind of fine dish; ‘Mercury’ is a planet, but ‘mercury’ is a silvery metal. Words like these are called capitonyms, and they give students a memorable reason to pay attention to capitalization while reading.
Section A gives students 8 sentences and asks them to write the lowercase or capitalized form that fits (china/China, turkey/Turkey, mercury/Mercury, may/May). Section B flips the task: students are given a meaning and choose the matching form (daisy/Daisy, earth/Earth). Both sections reward reading carefully for what the word actually means.
The reference box at the top of page 1 defines capitonyms and walks through two worked examples, polish/Polish and march/March, that never appear in the assessed items. Page 2 is a complete answer key in compact format with the correct form for every item.
How to Use This Lesson
Read the reference box aloud and ask students why a capital letter might change what a word means.
Work Section A independently; have students underline the clue in each sentence (a place name, a planet, an object) that tells them which form to use.
Move to Section B, where students start from the meaning and supply the matching form.
Use the answer key on page 2 for self-check or aide spot-check.
Pair with the Homographs Worksheet or Multiple Meaning Words Worksheet for more meaning-and-spelling practice.
Printable Resource
A classroom-ready PDF with everything in one printable resource.
Full Member Resource · Printable PDF · 2 pages · Answer Key
Capitonyms Worksheet
A printable vocabulary worksheet for grades 4-6 that introduces capitonyms – words that change meaning when capitalized. Students choose the lowercase or capitalized form for 12 sentences and meanings. A complete answer key is included.
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