Idioms Worksheets PDF

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Yes. Press Print worksheet, then choose Save as PDF in your browser's print window. The answer key is the last page of the same file.

Finish each idiom with the word that belongs, or circle what the idiom means.

Your own questions: sentence with ___ = right / wrong

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Add a "Name" and "Date" line at the top Add an answer key as the last page

All 218 sentences

Finish the idiom 112

A home by the beach and near the city gives us the best of both ___.
After a few tries, I got the ___ of riding a bike.
After the long test, we ran around to blow off ___.
After years of practice, tying knots is second ___ to me.
Ana knows the poem by ___.
Ana was over the ___ about her new puppy.
Before the school play, we told Mia to break a ___.
Ben broke the rule, and now he must face the ___.
Ben was in hot ___ for breaking the window.
Can you lend me a ___ with these boxes?
Chocolate or vanilla? Please make up your ___.
The cookie jar was empty, and Mom began to smell a ___.
The crowd went ___ when our team scored.
Dad is an early ___ who gets up at five.
Dad was in a bad mood, so we walked on ___.
Do not be a couch ___. Come outside and play!
Do not let the ___ out of the bag about the gift.
Do the job well and do not cut ___.
The famous singer was friendly and down to ___.
Finding one lost bead on the beach is like finding a needle in a ___.
Grandma grows huge tomatoes. She has a green ___.

Show all 218 sentences (197 more)

Finish the idiom, continued

Grandma was tickled ___ by our card.
Hold your ___! We are not ready to go yet.
I am tired. It is time to hit the ___.
I cannot come to dinner tonight. Can I take a ___ check?
I cannot decide yet. Let me ___ on it.
I cleaned half the garage and then ran out of ___.
I did not want to go, but Jo twisted my ___.
I do not mind which game we play. I will go with the ___.
I do not want to rain on your ___, but the pool is closed.
I dropped the eggs. I am all ___ today.
I felt on top of the ___ when I scored the goal.
I had ___ in my stomach before my speech.
I joined four clubs and bit off more than I could ___.
I know this town like the back of my ___.
I looked everywhere for my glasses, and they were right under my ___.
I lost my bus pass, and now I am in a ___.
I made my offer. Now the ball is in your ___.
I put five dollars in my jar to save for a ___ day.
I saw ___ when someone knocked over my sandcastle.
I tried to remember her name, but I drew a ___.
I wanted to argue, but I bit my ___.
I wanted to tell the news, but Max stole my ___.
I was ___ with envy when I saw his new bike.
If you cry ___ too often, nobody will come when you need help.
In a ___, the trip was great.
In her tiny town, she was a big fish in a small ___.
Is it noon already? Time ___ when you are having fun.
It is getting late. We should hit the ___.
It took me a week to learn the ___ at my new school.
It was a surprise party, but Leo spilled the ___.
It was a tiny scratch. Do not make a mountain out of a ___.
Jo got cold ___ and did not sing in the show.
The joke was so funny that I could not keep a straight ___.
Leo, the eager ___, finished his chores before breakfast.
Let's get the ___ rolling on our science project.
The mess in the hall was only the tip of the ___.
Mia passed the test with flying ___.
Mia told a joke to break the ___ with the new kids.
Mia was on cloud ___ after she won the race.
My brother and I do not always see eye to ___.
My dog will chase a ball at the drop of a ___.
My old friend called me out of the ___.
My sister is a night ___ who reads until midnight.
The new bike cost an arm and a ___.
No homework tonight? That is ___ to my ears.
Nobody talked about the broken lamp. It was the ___ in the room.
The nurses worked around the ___ to help.
On my first day at the new school, I felt like a fish out of ___.
Our coach always goes the extra ___ to help us.
Our neighbor has a heart of ___ and helps everyone.
Our paper bridge fell down, so it is back to the ___ board.
Our plans for the trip are still up in the ___.
Pay attention! You have your head in the ___ again.
Pick a side. You cannot sit on the ___ forever.
The plan failed, so we are back to square ___.
Please keep an ___ on my bag while I am gone.
The rabbit was gone in the blink of an ___.
The race is almost over. Hang in ___!
The sale ended yesterday. We missed the ___.
Sam stayed home because he felt under the ___.
Scary movies are not my cup of ___.
She burned the midnight ___ to finish her report.
She said she was fine, but I could read between the ___.
The spelling quiz was easy. It was a piece of ___.
Stop beating around the ___ and tell me what happened.
The storm has passed, but we are not out of the ___ yet.
Take an umbrella. It is raining cats and ___.
Tell me about your trip. I am all ___.
The test is tomorrow, so I need to hit the ___.
Thanks for fixing that so fast. You are really on the ___.
That name does not ring a ___.
There is no test today. I was only pulling your ___.
The third broken plate was the last ___.
This riddle is hard. Put on your ___ cap.
This year I will turn over a new ___ and keep my room clean.
True friends stay with you through thick and ___.
The twins are like two peas in a ___.
The vase is broken. There is no use crying over spilled ___.
We both forgot our lunch, so we are in the same ___.
We eat out only once in a blue ___.
We have no plan for Saturday. Let's play it by ___.
We have painted three walls. Let's call it a ___.
We made the soup from ___, with no mix.
We raised ten dollars, a drop in the ___ for a new playground.
We won the game, and the trophy was the ___ on the cake.
With three of us working, we finished in no ___.
Yelling back will only add fuel to the ___.
You finally came! Better late than ___.
You hit the nail on the ___. That is exactly the problem.
You were late twice this week. You are on thin ___.
Zip your ___ and do not tell anyone about the surprise.

What it means 106

A couch potato sits and watches a lot of ___.
A down-to-earth person is practical and ___.
A drop in the bucket is a very ___ amount.
A night owl likes to stay ___ late at night.
A person with a green thumb is good at growing ___.
A person with a heart of gold is very ___.
A plan that is up in the air is not ___ yet.
An eager beaver is willing to ___ very hard.
Around the clock means all day and all ___.
Back to square one means you have to ___ again.
Back to the drawing board means starting a plan ___.
The best of both worlds means enjoying the good parts of ___ different things.
Break a leg is a way to wish a performer good ___.
Crying over spilled milk is being upset about something you cannot ___.
The elephant in the room is a big problem that nobody wants to ___.
Hang in there means keep ___.
Hold your horses means to ___ and think first.
The icing on the cake makes a good thing even ___.
If a job is a piece of cake, it is very ___.
If something is not your cup of tea, you do not ___ it.
If something rings a bell, it sounds ___.
If the ball is in your court, it is your turn to ___.
If you have butterflies in your stomach, you feel ___.
If you miss the boat, you were too ___ to get your chance.
In a nutshell means in very ___ words.
In no time means very ___.
In the blink of an eye means very ___.
The last straw is one problem too ___.
Looking for a needle in a haystack is looking for something very hard to ___.
Music to your ears is news you are ___ to hear.
People in the same boat share the same ___.
People who see eye to eye ___ with each other.
Saving for a rainy day means keeping money for when you ___ it.
Someone in hot water is in ___.
Someone on cloud nine is very ___.
Someone on top of the world is extremely ___.
Someone who feels like a fish out of water feels ___.
Someone who feels under the weather feels a little ___.
Someone who is all ears is ready to ___.
Someone who is all thumbs is ___ with their hands.
Someone who is on the ball is ___ to understand and act.
Someone who is over the moon is very ___.
Someone who is tickled pink is very ___.
Something that costs an arm and a leg is very ___.
Something that happens once in a blue moon happens ___.
Something that happens out of the blue is a ___.
Something that is second nature is so familiar that you do it without ___.
Through thick and thin means in good times and ___ times.
Time flies means that time passes ___.
The tip of the iceberg is a small part of a much ___ problem.
To add fuel to the fire is to make a bad situation ___.
To be green with envy is to wish you ___ what someone else has.
To be in a pickle is to be in a ___ situation.
To be on thin ice is to be taking a ___.
To be out of the woods is to be free of a ___.
To beat around the bush is to ___ talking about what matters.
To bite off more than you can chew is to try something too ___.
To bite your tongue is to stop yourself from ___ something.
To break the ice is to help people who have just met feel ___.
To burn the midnight oil is to work late into the ___.
To call it a day is to ___ working.
To cry wolf is to ask for ___ when you do not need it.
To cut corners is to do a job the ___ way, not the best way.
To do something at the drop of a hat is to do it ___.
To draw a blank is to fail to ___ something.
To face the music is to accept ___ for what you did.
To get cold feet is to become too ___ to do what you planned.
To get the ball rolling is to make something ___.
To get the hang of something is to ___ how to do it.
To go bananas is to become very ___.
To go the extra mile is to make ___ effort than people expect.
To go with the flow is to ___ with what other people want.
To hit the books means to ___.
To hit the nail on the head is to be exactly ___.
To hit the road is to ___ a place or begin a trip.
To hit the sack means to go to ___.
To keep a straight face is to stop yourself from ___.
To keep an eye on something is to ___ it.
To know a place like the back of your hand is to know it very ___.
To know something by heart is to know it from ___.
To learn the ropes is to learn ___ to do a job.
To lend a hand is to ___ someone.
To let the cat out of the bag is to let a secret become ___.
To make a mountain out of a molehill is to make a small problem seem ___.
To make something from scratch is to make it from the ___.
To make up your mind is to ___.
To pass with flying colors is to do very ___.
To play it by ear is to decide what to do as things ___.
To pull someone's leg is to ___ with them.
To put on your thinking cap is to think ___ about something.
To rain on someone's parade is to ___ their plans.
To read between the lines is to find a meaning that is not ___ directly.
To run out of steam is to lose the ___ to keep going.
To see red is to become very ___.
To sit on the fence is to put off making a ___.
To sleep on it is to ___ before deciding.
To smell a rat is to think that something is ___.
To spill the beans is to tell a ___.
To steal someone's thunder is to take the ___ that they should have had.
To take a rain check is to say no for now but yes for ___.
To turn over a new leaf is to start behaving ___.
To twist someone's arm is to ___ them to do something.
To walk on eggshells is to be very ___ not to upset someone.
To zip your lip is to say ___.
Two peas in a pod are very ___.
When it rains cats and dogs, it rains very ___.

How this list was compiled: Written by hand for this page: a sentence that uses each idiom with one word missing, and a second sentence that gives its plain meaning with one word missing. Each idiom and its meaning were checked against its entry in the Cambridge Dictionary, dictionary.cambridge.org/us, read 2026-09-30; an idiom with no entry there was left out. No person, brand or character is named, and no published worksheet was copied. Licence: own work

How it works

Each sheet draws 6 of our 218 sentences about 112 common idioms. One set leaves a word out of the idiom: It is raining cats and ___. The other gives the meaning with a word missing.

Read the full guide

Finish the idiom

Set opens on Finish the idiom (112 sentences). A short scene comes first, then the idiom with one word missing and three words to circle: The spelling quiz was easy. It was a piece of ___. Only one word makes the saying people really use.

What it means

The second set (106 sentences) states the meaning with a blank: If a job is a piece of cake, it is very ___. Print one sheet of each for the same week, or choose All of them to mix the two.

After the sheet, ask each child to draw what one idiom would look like if it were literally true.

Questions and answers

What is an idiom?

A phrase whose meaning cannot be worked out from its words. Under the weather has nothing to do with weather: it means not feeling well. Each meaning here was checked against the Cambridge Dictionary.

What grade learns idioms?

The Common Core language standards ask fourth and fifth graders to recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages and proverbs (L.4.5b and L.5.5b).

Which idioms are on these worksheets?

112 common ones that suit a classroom, such as a piece of cake, break the ice, hit the books, once in a blue moon, spill the beans and hold your horses.

Can I save an idioms worksheet as a PDF?

Yes. Press Print worksheet, then choose Save as PDF in your browser's print window. The answer key is the last page of the same file.

All 218 sentences

Finish the idiom 112

Finish the idiom, continued

What it means 106

How it works

Finish the idiom

What it means

Questions and answers

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