Palindromes Worksheet

Vocabulary Worksheet · Grades 3–5

A printable vocabulary worksheet for grades 3-5 on palindromes: words that read the same forward and backward, like mom and level. Students decide whether eight words are palindromes, then answer four questions. A complete answer key is included.

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Subject

Vocabulary

Grades

Grades 3–5

Skill Focus

Palindromes, word play

Lesson Length

15 minutes

Learning Objective

Students will identify whether a word is a palindrome by checking that it reads the same forward and backward.

Word Play

Palindromes: Words and Phrases That Read the Same Both Ways

A palindrome reads exactly the same forward and backward. Spell it from the last letter to the first and nothing changes. For phrases, ignore the spaces, capital letters and punctuation — only the letters count.

What makes a palindrome

Write the letters out, then read them right to left. If they match, it is a palindrome.
level backward is l-e-v-e-l. Same word, so it counts.
A word with an odd number of letters has a middle letter that stays put: radar.
A word with an even number has two matching halves: noon.
Capital letters do not matter: Anna and anna are both palindromes.
For a sentence, strip out the spaces and punctuation first: Never odd or even becomes neveroddoreven.

Three letters

bib · bob · dad · did · eve · eye · gag · gig · mom · mum · nan · nun · pep · pip · pop · pup · sis · tot · wow

Four letters

noon · deed · peep · sees · toot

Five letters

civic · kayak · level · madam · radar · refer · rotor · sagas · solos · stats · tenet

Six letters and longer

redder · deified · racecar · repaper · reviver · rotator

Names

Ada · Anna · Ava · Bob · Elle · Eve · Hannah · Nan · Otto · Viv

Whole sentences

Never odd or even.
Step on no pets.
No lemon, no melon.
Do geese see God?
Was it a car or a cat I saw?
Madam, I’m Adam.
A man, a plan, a canal: Panama.

Numbers and dates can be palindromes too

121 · 1331 · 2002 · 12321 · 02/02/2020 written 02022020

Print the Palindromes Chart (PDF)

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The word palindrome comes from the Greek palin (again) and dromos (running) — something that runs back again. A word that spells a different word backward, like stop and pots, is not a palindrome; that is a reversal.

Lesson Overview

About this worksheet

A palindrome is a word that reads exactly the same forward and backward – spell it, then spell it from the last letter to the first, and you get the same word. This playful worksheet sharpens students’ attention to letter order and spelling while introducing a fun word-study idea.

Section A gives eight words (mom, table, noon, apple) and asks students to write yes or no to tell whether each is a palindrome. The reference box teaches the idea with eye, kayak, and racecar, words not reused in the items.

Section B asks students to define a palindrome, explain how to test for one, write a new palindrome, and check whether ‘Anna’ is a palindrome. Page 3 is a complete answer key. The skill builds attention to spelling and letter patterns.

How to Use This Lesson

Read the reference box aloud and spell a palindrome backward together to prove it matches.

Complete Section A independently – have students write each word’s letters in reverse to check.

Work Section B item 12 together: spell ‘Anna’ backward to confirm it is a palindrome.

Use the answer key on page 3 for self-check or teacher review.

Pair with the Anagrams Worksheet or the Rhyming Words Worksheet for a word-play mini-unit.

Printable Resource

A classroom-ready PDF with everything in one printable resource.

Full Member Resource · Printable PDF · 3 pages · Answer Key