4th grade similes and metaphors worksheets

Similes and metaphors both compare two unlike things: a simile signals it with like or as (slept like a log), while a metaphor states it outright (homework is a mountain). Fourth graders sort figurative phrases by which tool they use.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core L.4.5.a.

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The kind of words you'll sort

Write each phrase from the bank under Simile or Metaphor.

the storm was a freight trainas quick as a winkas fast as lightningas busy as a beeour dog is a vacuum cleanerthe stars are night-lightsmy backpack is a boulderas tall as a giraffe

Columns: Simile and Metaphor. "as tall as a giraffe" belongs under simile; "our dog is a vacuum cleaner" belongs under metaphor.

Every print pulls a fresh set of word lists at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.

What's on each sheet

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

Teach the mechanical test first: hunt for like or as. Then make sure the idea behind it lands by asking what the two things have in common. A student who can say why a fog is like a blanket owns the figure; a student who only circles the word as owns a trick.

Watch for: Like or as is the tell for a simile, but the words must build a comparison; 'I like pizza' isn't one. A metaphor isn't a lie; nobody thinks the room is literally a zoo. It's a picture painted with a claim.

Common questions about similes and metaphors

What's the quick test for simile versus metaphor?
Look for like or as. If the comparison uses either word, it's a simile; if it flat-out says one thing is another, it's a metaphor. The test takes two seconds and works on nearly every example a 4th grader will meet.
Does every sentence with "like" contain a simile?
No, and it's a favorite trick question. "I like pancakes" uses like as a verb, not a comparison. A simile needs two unlike things being compared: "flat as a pancake" qualifies; simply liking pancakes does not.

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Aligned to Common Core L.4.5.a. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 137, updated August 2026.

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