Figurative Language 3rd Grade Worksheets

Print worksheet gives 6 sentences with a phrase in parentheses: circle literal or nonliteral, or what the phrase means here.

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

All 156 sentences

Literal or nonliteral? 90

A new school year gives everyone a clean slate. (a clean slate)
A prize that sounds too good to be true is a red flag. (a red flag)
After a rough season, the team was ready to turn the page. (turn the page)
After math, the class will shift gears and paint. (shift gears)
After moving five times, the family wanted to put down roots in one town. (put down roots)
After the argument, Jen gave me the cold shoulder at lunch. (cold shoulder)
After the hard quiz, this one was a walk in the park. (a walk in the park)
After winning the spelling bee, Dev was in the spotlight all week. (in the spotlight)
After you dry the dog, throw in the towel with the wash. (throw in the towel)
Aim higher, or the beanbag will miss the mark on the floor. (miss the mark)
As team captain, Lola was in the driver's seat for the whole project. (in the driver's seat)
The baby began to take steps across the rug. (take steps)
Before we start building, let's make sure we are on the same page. (on the same page)

Show all 156 sentences (143 more)

Literal or nonliteral?, continued

Both maps are on the same page of the atlas. (on the same page)
The cars moved when they got the green light. (the green light)
The class welcomed the new idea with open arms. (with open arms)
The clown will wear many hats in the show, one on top of another. (wear many hats)
The coach will raise the bar after each high jump. (raise the bar)
Crews build bridges across the river every few miles. (build bridges)
Dad washed the dishes, so I was off the hook tonight. (off the hook)
The detective began to connect the dots between the three clues. (connect the dots)
The driver had to shift gears on the steep hill. (shift gears)
The ducks make waves when they land on the pond. (make waves)
Each runner will pass the torch to the next one. (pass the torch)
Everyone liked the plan, so Kim did not want to rock the boat. (rock the boat)
The field trip was a mixed bag, with great weather and long lines. (a mixed bag)
Fill the tank so we do not run out of gas. (run out of gas)
The fish wiggled off the hook and swam away. (off the hook)
The friends talked for an hour to clear the air after their fight. (clear the air)
The garden is full of weeds, so it is time to roll up our sleeves. (roll up our sleeves)
Grandma and I took a walk in the park after lunch. (a walk in the park)
Grandpa stood at the gate with open arms, ready for a hug. (with open arms)
The gymnast can bend over backwards and touch the mat. (bend over backwards)
Halfway through the long hike, I began to run out of gas. (run out of gas)
Her science project will raise the bar for the whole class. (raise the bar)
Hold on with both hands so you do not drop the ball. (drop the ball)
I bought a mixed bag of nuts and raisins. (a mixed bag)
I promised to bring snacks, and I did not want to drop the ball. (drop the ball)
I pulled the blanket over my cold shoulder. (cold shoulder)
I went out on a limb and guessed the answer was forty. (out on a limb)
If you think I took your pen, you are barking up the wrong tree. (barking up the wrong tree)
In a small school, a teacher has to wear many hats. (wear many hats)
In the second half, the other team began to turn up the heat. (turn up the heat)
It is chilly in here, so please turn up the heat. (turn up the heat)
Join the beginner class to get your feet wet before the big race. (get your feet wet)
The kite would not get off the ground without wind. (get off the ground)
The kitten crawled out on a limb and would not come down. (out on a limb)
Lena hopes to follow in her mother's footsteps and become a pilot. (follow in her mother's footsteps)
The lifeguard raised a red flag on the beach. (a red flag)
Losing one game was only a bump in the road for our team. (a bump in the road)
Mom sat in the driver's seat and started the van. (in the driver's seat)
My brother got in front, so I had to take a back seat in the car. (take a back seat)
My joke seemed to miss the mark, because nobody laughed. (miss the mark)
My tree house plans are on the back burner until summer. (on the back burner)
The new student did not want to make waves on her first day. (make waves)
The next batter will step up to the plate. (step up to the plate)
Nobody told me about the party, so I was in the dark. (in the dark)
The old coach is ready to pass the torch to her helper. (pass the torch)
Open a window to clear the air of smoke from the toast. (clear the air)
Our club could not get off the ground until we found a place to meet. (get off the ground)
Our hosts will bend over backwards to make us feel welcome. (bend over backwards)
The picnic began to go downhill when the rain started. (go downhill)
Please turn the page and read the next poem. (turn the page)
The principal gave the green light for our bake sale. (the green light)
The puzzle was hard, but Ava refused to throw in the towel. (throw in the towel)
The red train is on the right track, and the blue one is on the left. (on the right track)
Roll up your sleeves before you wash your hands. (Roll up your sleeves)
The runners had to dig deep to finish the last mile. (dig deep)
The singer stood in the spotlight at the center of the stage. (in the spotlight)
Sit still, or you will rock the boat and get us wet. (rock the boat)
Sleds go downhill fast on packed snow. (go downhill)
The snow was deep, so I followed in my dad's footsteps. (followed in my dad's footsteps)
Soccer had to take a back seat while Nia studied for the test. (take a back seat)
The soup is on the back burner of the stove. (on the back burner)
The squirrel jumped away, and the hounds kept barking up the wrong tree. (barking up the wrong tree)
Step over the puddle so you do not get your feet wet. (get your feet wet)
The teacher wiped off the chalk and handed me a clean slate. (a clean slate)
The town will take steps to fix the old bridge. (take steps)
The train driver saw a light at the end of the tunnel. (a light at the end of the tunnel)
The trained dogs jump through hoops at the fair. (jump through hoops)
The two schools held a picnic to build bridges between their students. (build bridges)
Use a pencil to connect the dots and see the picture. (connect the dots)
The wagon bounced over a bump in the road. (a bump in the road)
We had to jump through hoops just to sign up for the club. (jump through hoops)
We sat in the dark until the power came back. (in the dark)
When our leader got sick, Rosa had to step up to the plate and run the meeting. (step up to the plate)
With one chapter left to write, I could see a light at the end of the tunnel. (a light at the end of the tunnel)
You must dig deep to plant a tree this size. (dig deep)
The young tree needs time to put down roots. (put down roots)
Your first two answers show you are on the right track. (on the right track)

What does it mean here? 66

A crow sat far out on a limb of the elm. Here, out on a limb means ___. on a branch of a tree / taking a risk
A deal that changes every time you ask is a red flag. Here, a red flag means ___. a piece of red cloth / a warning sign
A fan will clear the air in the smoky kitchen. Here, clear the air means ___. blow away smoke or dust / settle bad feelings by talking
A flat tire was just a bump in the road on our trip to the fair. Here, a bump in the road means ___. a raised spot in the street / a small setback
A red flag marked the end of the long load on the truck. Here, a red flag means ___. a piece of red cloth / a warning sign
A shared garden helped the neighbors build bridges. Here, build bridges means ___. make friendly ties / make structures to cross water
A short poem let me get my feet wet before I wrote a whole story. Here, get my feet wet means ___. soak my feet with water / try something for the first time
The actor waited in the spotlight for the music to begin. Here, in the spotlight means ___. getting a lot of attention / under a bright stage light
After six tries at the knot, I was ready to throw in the towel. Here, throw in the towel means ___. give up / toss a towel inside
After ten years as club leader, Ben will pass the torch. Here, pass the torch means ___. hand a job to the next person / hand over a burning stick
After the lost game, the coach told us to turn the page. Here, turn the page means ___. flip to the next sheet / make a fresh start
After two bikes went missing, the school began to take steps. Here, take steps means ___. start to solve a problem / walk a little way
At the corner, the first runner will pass the torch. Here, pass the torch means ___. hand a job to the next person / hand over a burning stick
The bake sale could not get off the ground without helpers. Here, get off the ground means ___. get started well / rise into the air
The bean sprout began to put down roots in the wet cotton. Here, put down roots means ___. grow roots downward / settle in one place
The bike will not climb unless you shift gears. Here, shift gears means ___. change the gear on a machine / change what you are doing
The bus waited for the green light. Here, the green light means ___. a traffic signal that says go / permission to start
The bus was empty except for the man in the driver's seat. Here, in the driver's seat means ___. in control / in the seat behind the wheel
The campers told stories in the dark. Here, in the dark means ___. without any light / without being told
The city gave the green light to build a skate park. Here, the green light means ___. a traffic signal that says go / permission to start
Connect the dots from one to thirty. Here, connect the dots means ___. draw lines from point to point / put clues together
Each time a jumper clears it, two helpers raise the bar. Here, raise the bar means ___. lift a pole higher / set a higher standard
For a strong swimmer, two laps are a walk in the park. Here, a walk in the park means ___. a stroll among trees and grass / something easy
He agreed with the group because he did not want to make waves. Here, make waves means ___. cause trouble or a stir / stir up the water
The house was cold, so Dad went to turn up the heat. Here, turn up the heat means ___. make a room warmer / push harder
I erased every mark until I had a clean slate. Here, a clean slate means ___. a fresh start / a writing board with nothing on it
I rolled up my jeans so I would not get my feet wet in the creek. Here, get my feet wet means ___. soak my feet with water / try something for the first time
If you both stand up at once, you will rock the boat. Here, rock the boat means ___. make the boat tip from side to side / upset the way things are
In the last minute of the game, the players had to dig deep. Here, dig deep means ___. make a deep hole / try as hard as you can
It took me a day to connect the dots and guess the surprise. Here, connect the dots means ___. draw lines from point to point / put clues together
The juggler did not drop the ball once. Here, drop the ball means ___. fail at a job you were trusted with / let a ball fall
Keep the beans warm on the back burner. Here, on the back burner means ___. at the rear of the stove / set aside for later
Last year's play was so good that it will raise the bar for this one. Here, raise the bar means ___. lift a pole higher / set a higher standard
Let's shift gears and talk about the class trip. Here, shift gears means ___. change the gear on a machine / change what you are doing
The little kids began to run out of gas near the end of the parade. Here, run out of gas means ___. become too tired to go on / use up all the fuel
Marbles go downhill faster than you can chase them. Here, go downhill means ___. get worse / roll down a slope
Mom and Dad are on the same page about bedtime. Here, on the same page means ___. in agreement / on one sheet of a book
Moving to a new town gave him a clean slate. Here, a clean slate means ___. a fresh start / a writing board with nothing on it
The mower will run out of gas before the lawn is done. Here, run out of gas means ___. become too tired to go on / use up all the fuel
My aunt traveled for years before she chose to put down roots here. Here, put down roots means ___. grow roots downward / settle in one place
My handwriting started to go downhill near the end of the test. Here, go downhill means ___. get worse / roll down a slope
My model ship is on the back burner during soccer season. Here, on the back burner means ___. at the rear of the stove / set aside for later
My tutor said my outline was on the right track. Here, on the right track means ___. on the correct set of rails / working in a way that will succeed
Our small town was in the spotlight after the big storm. Here, in the spotlight means ___. getting a lot of attention / under a bright stage light
Our town plans to build bridges over both creeks. Here, build bridges means ___. make friendly ties / make structures to cross water
The paper plane would not get off the ground. Here, get off the ground means ___. get started well / rise into the air
The poem and its drawing are on the same page. Here, on the same page means ___. in agreement / on one sheet of a book
The schedule works for everyone, so please do not rock the boat. Here, rock the boat means ___. make the boat tip from side to side / upset the way things are
She went out on a limb and tried out for the lead part. Here, out on a limb means ___. on a branch of a tree / taking a risk
The sisters met to clear the air after a week of silence. Here, clear the air means ___. blow away smoke or dust / settle bad feelings by talking
Slow down for the bump in the road near the school. Here, bump in the road means ___. a raised spot in the street / a small setback
Speedboats make waves that slap the dock. Here, make waves means ___. cause trouble or a stir / stir up the water
The surprise worked because Gran was in the dark about it. Here, in the dark means ___. without any light / without being told
The switch moved, and now the engine is on the right track. Here, on the right track means ___. on the correct set of rails / working in a way that will succeed
The tall kids sat up front, so I had to take a back seat on the bus. Here, take a back seat means ___. become less important / sit in the rear
The team was counting on me to bring the map, and I did not drop the ball. Here, drop the ball means ___. fail at a job you were trusted with / let a ball fall
The test was moved, so we were off the hook for a week. Here, off the hook means ___. free from a duty / no longer on a curved piece of metal
Throw in the towel when the washer is half full. Here, throw in the towel means ___. give up / toss a towel inside
The toddler let go of the chair to take steps toward her mom. Here, take steps means ___. start to solve a problem / walk a little way
Turn the page when you hear the chime. Here, turn the page means ___. flip to the next sheet / make a fresh start
Video games take a back seat when my cousins visit. Here, take a back seat means ___. become less important / sit in the rear
We fed the ducks on our walk in the park. Here, walk in the park means ___. a stroll among trees and grass / something easy
We had to dig deep to reach wet sand. Here, dig deep means ___. make a deep hole / try as hard as you can
With a ten-point lead, our team was in the driver's seat. Here, in the driver's seat means ___. in control / in the seat behind the wheel
With a week left, our coach began to turn up the heat at practice. Here, turn up the heat means ___. make a room warmer / push harder
The worm slid off the hook before I could cast. Here, off the hook means ___. free from a duty / no longer on a curved piece of metal

How this list was compiled: Written for this page: every sentence is our own. Each phrase is used twice, once literally (the baby began to take steps) and once nonliterally (the town will take steps). In the first set the phrase is printed again in parentheses and the sheet asks literal or nonliteral. In the second set the sheet asks what the phrase means in that sentence, and the two choices are its literal and its nonliteral meaning. Each nonliteral meaning was checked against the entry for the phrase in the English Wiktionary (en.wiktionary.org), read 3 October 2026; a phrase with no entry there was left out. Telling literal from nonliteral meanings, with the example take steps, is L.3.5a in the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts, published at thecorestandards.org, read the same day. No real person, brand or character is named, and no published worksheet was copied. Licence: own work

How it works

These are literal and nonliteral language 3rd grade worksheets: each phrase is used once as the words read and once as a figure of speech. The baby began to take steps; the town will take steps.

Read the full guide

Literal or nonliteral?

Literal means the words say exactly what happened: sleds go downhill. Nonliteral means the phrase stands for something else: the picnic began to go downhill when the rain started. The phrase printed again in parentheses is the one to judge.

What does it mean here?

Pick this set under Set. After a sentence such as After six tries at the knot, I was ready to throw in the towel, the two choices are its meanings: give up, or toss a towel inside.

Every phrase is in the bank at least twice, once literal and once nonliteral.
Similes, metaphors and the other kinds to name are on the figurative language page for 4th grade.

Questions and answers

What is the difference between literal and nonliteral language?

Literal language means exactly what the words say. Nonliteral, or figurative, language means something else: in the test was a walk in the park, nobody walked anywhere; the test was easy.

What figurative language do 3rd graders learn?

The Common Core asks third graders to distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context, with take steps as its example (L.3.5a). Similes and metaphors are named in grade 4 (L.4.5a).

Are the phrases idioms?

Most are common idioms, such as rock the boat, drop the ball and on the same page. Each nonliteral meaning was checked against the entry for the phrase in the English Wiktionary.

Is there an answer key?

Yes. The last page is the key, with the right choice circled under each sentence and written in where there is a blank. Uncheck Add an answer key as the last page under More options to print the sheet alone.

All 156 sentences

Literal or nonliteral? 90

Literal or nonliteral?, continued

What does it mean here? 66

How it works

Literal or nonliteral?

What does it mean here?

Questions and answers

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