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English · Spelling and vocabulary worksheet

Prefixes un-, dis-, mis- and re-: Free KS2 Worksheet

A prefix is a group of letters added to the start of a word to change its meaning. Children meet un- in Year 1. In Years 3 and 4 they learn more prefixes, including dis-, mis- and re-, and use them to build new words such as unhappy, disagree, misbehave and rebuild.

This free printable worksheet gives your child focused practice at choosing the correct prefix to add to a root word, then checking whether the new word makes sense. It links directly to the National Curriculum spelling objectives for Lower Key Stage 2 and prints neatly onto a single A4 page, with answers provided below for quick marking.

Years 3–4 · ages 7–9KS2Free to printFree to shareSheet 111

What your child is learning

‘use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them’

Years 3–4 English: Writing – transcription (spelling, Appendix 1), National Curriculum in England. Source and licence

Prefixes: un-, dis-, mis- and re-

Free English worksheet · Ages 7 to 9

Name:

A line drawing of a confident child in a hoodie holding a large open book and giving a thumbs-up, ready to be coloured in.

Add the correct prefix

Add un-, dis-, mis- or re- to each root word to make a word with the meaning shown. Write the whole new word on the line.

Word bank:un- · dis- · mis- · re-

lock → to undo a lock
agree → to not agree
behave → to behave badly
build → to build again
honest → not honest
spell → to spell wrongly

Tick the real words

Tick the box if the prefix makes a real word.

unkind
dishappy
return
unagree
misunderstand
disappear

Answers: Prefixes: un-, dis-, mis- and re-

Sheet 111

lock → to undo a lock — unlock
agree → to not agree — disagree
behave → to behave badly — misbehave
build → to build again — rebuild
honest → not honest — dishonest
spell → to spell wrongly — misspell
unkind — Tick
dishappy — No tick (the real word is unhappy)
return — Tick
unagree — No tick (the real word is disagree)
misunderstand — Tick
disappear — Tick

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Answer key

lock → to undo a lock — unlock
agree → to not agree — disagree
behave → to behave badly — misbehave
build → to build again — rebuild
honest → not honest — dishonest
spell → to spell wrongly — misspell
unkind — Tick
dishappy — No tick (the real word is unhappy)
return — Tick
unagree — No tick (the real word is disagree)
misunderstand — Tick
disappear — Tick

What is a prefix?

A prefix is a meaningful group of letters fixed to the front of a root word. Unlike a suffix, which is added to the end, a prefix changes a word's meaning without usually changing how the rest of the word is spelled, so the root word stays whole: un- + kind simply becomes unkind. Helping a child notice the join between the prefix and the root word makes longer words far less daunting to read and to spell, because they can break the word into recognisable parts.

What un-, dis-, mis- and re- mean

Each of these four prefixes carries a fairly reliable meaning, which is why they are taught together. un- and dis- often reverse or negate a word, giving the opposite meaning: unlock, unhappy, disagree, dishonest. mis- usually means 'wrongly' or 'badly': misbehave, misspell, misunderstand. re- generally means 'again' or 'back': rebuild, rewrite, return. Talking about these meanings, rather than only memorising spellings, helps children predict the meaning of unfamiliar words they meet in their reading.

How to use this worksheet at home or in class

Read each root word aloud together, try out the four prefixes in turn, and ask which one gives a real word with the meaning shown. Encourage your child to say the meaning, not just the spelling, for example 'rewrite means to write it again'. The tick task then mixes four real words with two that use the wrong prefix (dishappy and unagree), so your child has to check each one rather than tick everything. For a quick extension, ask your child to use two or three of the new words in spoken sentences, or to find more re- and mis- words in a favourite book.

Common mix-ups to watch for

A few sensible-looking spellings are wrong, and noticing them is good learning. Children sometimes write misspell with one 's', but because mis- joins to spell, both s's are kept. They may also try dis- where standard English uses un- (for example unhappy, not dishappy), which is a useful reminder that meaning and convention both matter. Reassure your child that trying a prefix and then checking whether the word is real is exactly the right strategy, and that a dictionary is a sensible place to confirm.

Frequently asked questions

What are the prefixes taught in Years 3 and 4?

Children learn un- in Year 1. The National Curriculum then lists dis-, mis-, in- (and its forms il-, im- and ir-), re-, sub-, inter-, super-, anti- and auto- for Years 3 and 4. This worksheet revisits un- and focuses on dis-, mis- and re-, which change the meaning of many everyday root words.

What does each prefix mean?

un- and dis- usually give the opposite meaning, as in unhappy and disagree. mis- means 'wrongly' or 'badly', as in misbehave. re- means 'again' or 'back', as in rebuild and return. Knowing these meanings helps children work out unfamiliar words while reading.

What is the difference between a prefix and a suffix?

A prefix is added to the start of a word and a suffix is added to the end. For example, in 'unhelpful', un- is the prefix and -ful is the suffix, while 'help' is the root word in the middle.

Why is misspell spelled with two s's?

The prefix mis- ends in an s and joins to the root word spell, which begins with an s, so both letters are kept: mis + spell = misspell. Pointing this out helps children see how prefixes attach to whole root words.

How can I help my child practise prefixes at home?

Read root words aloud and try adding a prefix, asking your child to say the new word and what it means. Spotting un-, dis-, mis- and re- words in story books, and using a few in spoken sentences, builds confidence alongside this worksheet.

Curriculum links

Years 3–4 English: Writing – transcription (spelling, Appendix 1) (statutory): 'use further prefixes and suffixes and understand how to add them'

Quoted word for word from Department for Education documents: the National Curriculum in England, the EYFS framework or the RSHE guidance. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Made by The Owee education team. Updated 13/10/2026. Free to print and share.