Figurative Language
Before the big test, Leo said, “I have butterflies in my stomach.” He kept fidgeting and tapping his pencil. What does “butterflies in my stomach” mean?
He feels nervous or anxious.
The baby was cheerful all morning, smiling and clapping her hands. What is a synonym for cheerful?
Happy or joyful.
Jake wore his raincoat and grabbed his umbrella before leaving the house. What can we infer about the weather?
It’s raining or going to rain
The movie was so hilarious that everyone in the theater laughed the entire time.What does hilarious mean?
Very funny.
The bat flew out of the cave. What does the word bat mean in this sentence?
An animal that flies at night.
When the substitute walked into the room, everyone started shouting and running around. “This place is a zoo!” she said. What does the substitute mean when she says the classroom is a zoo?
The classroom is loud and out of control.
The soup was lukewarm, not cold but not hot either. What is an antonym for lukewarm?
Hot or cold (either extreme).
When Mrs. Lee said, “I see someone forgot to clean up,” and looked at the messy table, everyone avoided eye contact. What can we infer?
The students left a mess and feel guilty.
The fragile glass vase broke when it fell off the table. What does fragile mean?
Easily broken or delicate.
During the baseball game, Mia gripped her bat tightly. Later that night, she watched a bat fly past her porch light. What are the two meanings of bat in this story?
One is a baseball stick; the other is a flying animal.
After helping her friend study all week, Jasmine said, “You’re going to ace this test.” What does “ace this test” mean?
Do very well or get a high grade.
Even though the test was hard, Leo stayed calm instead of getting upset. What is an antonym for calm?
Nervous, upset, or anxious.
Maya stared at her phone, frowning, after reading a message. Then she quietly turned it off and walked away. What can we infer about Maya’s feelings?
She’s upset or disappointed about what she read.
The storm caused a lot of devastation—trees fell, and houses were damaged. What does devastation mean?
Great destruction or damage.
The teacher asked everyone to address the problem. What does address mean in this sentence?
To talk about or deal with something.
Marcus had been waiting so long that he said, “I’ve been waiting forever!” What does Marcus mean when he says that?
He feels like he’s waited a very long time (exaggeration).
The teacher said we had a brief meeting before lunch.What is a synonym for brief?
Short or quick.
The lights dimmed, the audience grew silent, and the curtain rose. What’s happening?
A play or performance is beginning.
After the fight, Emma wanted to reconcile with her best friend, so she wrote an apology note. What does reconcile mean? .
To make up or become friends again
Mia looked at the object on the shelf. In science, she learned how to object to an idea respectfully. How are the two meanings of object different?
One means a thing; the other means to disagree.
After the tough loss, the coach told the team, “Keep your heads up. We’ll come back stronger next time.” What does “keep your heads up” mean?
Stay positive and don’t give up.
After years of fighting, the two countries finally signed a peaceful agreement. What is an antonym for peaceful?
Violent or chaotic.
After weeks of practice, Luis finally crossed the finish line first. He threw his arms up and grinned at the crowd. What can we infer about Luis?
He feels proud or accomplished because he won.
The hikers felt fatigued after climbing for hours without rest. What does fatigued mean?
Very tired or exhausted.
When Sam said he’d bowl tonight, I wasn’t sure if he meant going to the alley or cooking soup in a bowl. What makes bowl a multiple meaning word?
It can be a noun (dish) or a verb (to roll a ball in bowling).