Worksheets › Figurative Language (Grades 3-5)

Free Printable Figurative Language Worksheets (Grades 3-5)

A child who reads “the classroom was a zoo” and pictures animals has decoded every word correctly and understood nothing. These sheets start with noticing that a sentence is not literal at all, then name the five devices by what they do.

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Figurative Language - Grades 3-5

Noticing when words are not literal

1.
Three of these are figurative. Which one means exactly what it says?
2.
Three of these are figurative. Which one means exactly what it says?
3.
Three of these are figurative. Which one means exactly what it says?

Working out what it really means

4.
What is the writer actually saying here?
Ravi's excuse did not hold water.
5.
What is the writer actually saying here?
Keisha let the news slip at breakfast.
6.
What is the writer actually saying here?
The whole team was over the moon.

Similes

7.
Read the sentence. What is the simile in it telling you?
The little dog was as brave as a lion.
8.
Read the sentence. What is the simile in it telling you?
My uncle is as stubborn as a mule.
9.
Read the sentence. What is the simile in it telling you?
Tomas ran like the wind at the finish.

Metaphors

10.
What is this sentence really saying?
The snow was a white blanket over the yard.
11.
What is this sentence really saying?
The classroom was a zoo that afternoon.
12.
What is this sentence really saying?
My cousin has always been a rock.

Idioms

13.
What does a blessing in disguise mean in this sentence?
Missing that train turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
14.
What does a bird's-eye view mean in this sentence?
The map on page four gives you a bird's-eye view.
15.
What does cost an arm and a leg mean in this sentence?
The seats were good, but they cost an arm and a leg.
16.
What does keep your chin up mean in this sentence?
You will win the next one, so keep your chin up, said the coach.

Naming the device

17.
Which kind of figurative language is this?
The kitchen chairs sulked in the darkest corner.
18.
Which kind of figurative language is this?
Time is a thief that nobody catches.
19.
Which kind of figurative language is this?
We had been working since dawn, so we decided to call it a day.

Answer Key

1.Our dog sleeps under the kitchen table.
2.There are four windows in this classroom.
3.We had soup for lunch.
4.Ravi's excuse fell apart when it was checked.
5.Keisha told the news without meaning to.
6.The team was delighted with the result.
7.not afraid of anything
8.refusing to change his mind
9.moved at top speed
10.The snow lay evenly over everything.
11.The room was noisy and very hard to control.
12.My cousin stays steady when things go wrong.
13.something that turns out well after all
14.a view from high above
15.to be very expensive
16.to stay hopeful in a hard time
17.Personification - a thing is given a human action
18.A metaphor - it calls one thing another thing outright
19.An idiom - a set phrase its own words cannot explain

Want practice that adapts to your child?

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Frequently asked questions

Are these figurative language worksheets free?
Yes - view, print, and share every sheet for free, with no account and no signup.

Do they include an answer key?
Every worksheet has a full answer key at the bottom of the page.

What grades are these figurative language worksheets for?
They are designed for grades 3 to 5.

Does my child need to read the questions alone?
No. Print it and read the instructions aloud if that is what the sheet needs - at these ages the point is the skill, not whether they can decode the directions.

Can I get a different worksheet?
Yes - click “Generate a new sheet” and a fresh set of problems (with a matching answer key) is created instantly.

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