ESL Vocabulary Worksheet

Press Print worksheet to match twelve classroom words, such as desk and notebook, to plain meanings.

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NameDateMade at homeroomtools.comDraw a line from each one on the left to its partner on the right.Vocabularydeskboardpencilnotebookclassmatebookshelfsharpenerbelllockerhallwayposterglobethe long space outside the roomsof a buildinga writing tool of wood with a darkcenter that marks papera small book of empty pages towrite ina large printed picture or noticeon a walla piece of furniture that holdsbooksa tall metal box with a lock, foryour things at schoolthe large flat surface the teacherwrites ona person in the same class as youa table made for one person towrite and study ata small tool that makes a pencilpointeda ball painted with the lands andseas of the Eartha thing that rings to say class isstarting or over
NameDateMade at homeroomtools.comDraw a line from each one on the left to its partner on the right.VocabularyAnswer keydeskboardpencilnotebookclassmatebookshelfsharpenerbelllockerhallwayposterglobethe long space outside the roomsof a buildinga writing tool of wood with a darkcenter that marks papera small book of empty pages towrite ina large printed picture or noticeon a walla piece of furniture that holdsbooksa tall metal box with a lock, foryour things at schoolthe large flat surface the teacherwrites ona person in the same class as youa table made for one person towrite and study ata small tool that makes a pencilpointeda ball painted with the lands andseas of the Eartha thing that rings to say class isstarting or over
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All 96 words

Family 12

  • aunt A sister of one of your parents. My aunt has two cats.
  • brother A boy with the same mother and father as you. My brother plays soccer.
  • children Young people who are not yet adults. The children play outside.
  • cousin A son or daughter of your aunt or uncle. My cousin is in my class.
  • father The man who is your parent. My father cooks on Sundays.
  • grandchild The child of your son or daughter. She has one grandchild.
  • grandfather The father of one of your parents. My grandfather tells good stories.
  • grandmother The mother of one of your parents. My grandmother lives near us.
  • mother The woman who is your parent. My mother drives me to school.
  • parents Your mother and father. My parents work in the city.
  • sister A girl with the same mother and father as you. My sister is ten years old.
  • uncle A brother of one of your parents. My uncle is a bus driver.
Show all 96 words (84 more)

Food and drink 12

  • bread A soft food made of dough and baked in an oven. I eat bread with soup.
  • butter A soft yellow food made from cream. Put butter on the toast.
  • drink A liquid you swallow, such as water or juice. Would you like a cold drink?
  • egg An oval food with a shell, laid by a hen. He ate an egg for breakfast.
  • fruit A sweet food that grows on a tree or a plant. An apple is a fruit.
  • honey The thick sweet food that bees produce. She puts honey on her bread.
  • meal The food you eat at one time, such as lunch. Dinner is my biggest meal.
  • milk The white drink that a cow gives. She drinks milk every morning.
  • pasta A food made from flour, cooked in boiling water. We had pasta with tomato sauce.
  • salt Small white grains that give food a sharp taste. The soup needs more salt.
  • snack Something small to eat when it is not mealtime. I have a snack after school.
  • sugar Small white grains that make food sweet. Do you want sugar in your tea?

Clothes 12

  • button A small round piece that fastens clothing. One button is missing.
  • cap A soft hat with a stiff piece at the front. He wears a cap in the sun.
  • coat Outer clothing with sleeves, for going out in the cold. Put on your coat. It is cold.
  • dress Women's or girls' clothing that hangs from shoulders to legs. She wore a blue dress.
  • pants Clothing that covers each leg, from the waist down. These pants are too long.
  • pocket A place sewn into clothes where you keep keys or coins. The key is in my pocket.
  • raincoat A coat that keeps you dry in the rain. Wear a raincoat today.
  • shirt Clothing for the top of the body, often with buttons. He wears a white shirt to work.
  • shoes Hard coverings for the feet. Take off your shoes at the door.
  • sleeve The part of a shirt or coat that covers the arm. This shirt has short sleeves.
  • socks Soft coverings worn on the feet inside shoes. My socks are wet.
  • zipper A strip with small teeth that you pull to close clothing. The zipper on my bag is stuck.

The house 12

  • bathroom The room where you wash, with a toilet in it. The bathroom is next to my room.
  • bed The piece of furniture you sleep on. My bed is by the wall.
  • bedroom A room with a bed, for sleeping. My bedroom is small.
  • door The part of a wall that opens so you can go in or out. Please close the door.
  • garden The land beside a house where plants grow. We grow tomatoes in the garden.
  • kitchen The room where people cook. We eat breakfast in the kitchen.
  • lamp A small light you can switch on in a room. Turn on the lamp.
  • living room The room where the family sits and relaxes. We watch TV in the living room.
  • roof The top that covers a building. The roof is red.
  • sofa A soft seat wide enough for several people. The cat sleeps on the sofa.
  • stairs Steps that go from one floor to another. Walk up the stairs.
  • window An opening with glass that you look out of. Open the window, please.

The classroom 12

  • bell A thing that rings to say class is starting or over. The bell rings at nine.
  • board The large flat surface the teacher writes on. Look at the board.
  • bookshelf A piece of furniture that holds books. Put the book back on the bookshelf.
  • classmate A person in the same class as you. My classmate helped me.
  • desk A table made for one person to write and study at. My desk is near the window.
  • globe A ball painted with the lands and seas of the Earth. The globe shows land and sea.
  • hallway The long space outside the rooms of a building. Walk in the hallway.
  • locker A tall metal box with a lock, for your things at school. My coat is in my locker.
  • notebook A small book of empty pages to write in. Write the date in your notebook.
  • pencil A writing tool of wood with a dark center that marks paper. I need a pencil.
  • poster A large printed picture or notice on a wall. The poster shows the alphabet.
  • sharpener A small tool that makes a pencil pointed. May I use your sharpener?

The body 12

  • ankle The part that joins the foot to the leg. The sock covers my ankle.
  • arm The part of you between the shoulder and the hand. He waves his arm.
  • ear The part on each side of the head that you hear with. She said it in my ear.
  • eye The part of the face you see with. Close one eye.
  • finger Any of the parts of the hand that you point and hold with. She wears a ring on her finger.
  • foot The part of the body that goes inside a shoe. The shoe is too small for my foot.
  • hand The part of the body you hold things with. Raise your hand.
  • head The part of you that holds your eyes, ears and mouth. He wears a hat on his head.
  • leg The long part of the body you stand and walk on. I can stand on one leg.
  • mouth The part of the face you eat and speak with. Open your mouth.
  • nose The part of the face you smell with. My nose is cold.
  • wrist The part that joins the hand to the arm. I wear a watch on my wrist.

Jobs 12

  • builder A person who makes houses. The builder is fixing the roof.
  • bus driver A person who drives a bus. The bus driver says hello.
  • doctor A person who treats sick people. The doctor works at the clinic.
  • farmer A person who works the land and raises animals. The farmer gets up early.
  • firefighter A person whose job is to put out fires. A firefighter visited our school.
  • hairdresser A person who cuts and styles hair. The hairdresser cut my hair short.
  • librarian A person who works in a library. Ask the librarian for help.
  • mail carrier A person who brings letters to homes. The mail carrier comes at noon.
  • police officer A person whose job is to make sure people obey the law. A police officer helped us cross.
  • singer Someone who makes music with the voice. The singer has a strong voice.
  • teacher Someone who gives lessons to students. The teacher reads us a story.
  • vet A doctor who takes care of sick animals. We took the dog to the vet.

The town 12

  • bridge A road built over a river so people can cross. The bridge is long.
  • bus stop A place where a bus stops for people to get on or off. We wait at the bus stop.
  • crosswalk The part of a street set aside for people crossing on foot. We cross the street at the crosswalk.
  • fire station The building that firefighters work from. The fire station is near my house.
  • neighborhood The part of a town around your home. Our neighborhood is quiet.
  • park A public place with grass and trees. We walk in the park.
  • playground A yard with swings and a slide, where children play. The children are at the playground.
  • school A place with classrooms where children are taught. The school is on Oak Street.
  • sidewalk The walking path that runs along the side of a street. We walk on the sidewalk.
  • supermarket A large store that sells food and things for the home. We buy milk at the supermarket.
  • swimming pool A large tank of water to swim in. The swimming pool opens at ten.
  • traffic light A signal with red, yellow and green lights. The traffic light is red.

How this list was compiled: Word list chosen for this site on 2026-10-02. Each meaning is written in our own words, with common words a beginner knows, and was checked that day against the entry for the word in Wiktionary, the free dictionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/), whose text is under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license. The example sentence after each meaning is our own. Licence: own work

How it works

This ESL vocabulary worksheet prints twelve everyday words down the left and their plain meanings, mixed up, down the right. Eight sets cover family, food, clothes, the house, the classroom, the body, jobs and the town.

Read the full guide

Eight topic sets

Set opens on The classroom: desk, board, pencil, notebook, classmate and seven more. The other sets are Family, Food and drink, Clothes, The house, The body, Jobs and The town. A set is one full sheet.

Your own word list

Type pairs in the box above the sheet, one a line, as word = meaning, and the sheet carries this week's unit. Under the tool every word is listed with its meaning and a short sentence, such as: Raise your hand.

  • Answer by has Cut and paste: fewer words, with the meanings as tiles to cut out and glue beside each word.

Questions and answers

What vocabulary do ESL beginners learn first?

This page starts with words for things a learner sees every day: family members, food, clothes, rooms of a house, classroom things, parts of the body, jobs and places in a town. It is our own list, not an official one.

Is this ESL vocabulary worksheet for children or adults?

The words are everyday ones and the meanings are plain, so the sheet works for a learner of any age. The sample sentences are about everyday life at home, at school and around town.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. The key prints as the last page: the same sheet with a line drawn from each word to its meaning. Under More options you can uncheck it, or press See the answers to check on screen.

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