6th Grade Similes and Metaphors Worksheets
Sixth graders treat similes and metaphors as author's choices: a simile keeps a polite distance (her voice was like music) while a metaphor commits completely (her voice is music). Recognizing which tool a writer picked, and why, feeds directly into literary analysis.
Free printable PDF, aligned to Common Core L.5.5.a. One skill per page, answer key on page two.
Every sheet is one of a kind and prints with a version code, so you can reprint the exact same one later. New version every click.
The kind of words you'll sort
Write each phrase from the bank under Simile or Metaphor.
the gym was a beehivelike two peas in a podthe test was a breezethe city is a jungleswims like a fishas strong as an oxas light as a featherthe hall was a river of kids
Columns: Simile and Metaphor. "as light as a feather" belongs under simile; "the hall was a river of kids" belongs under metaphor.
Every print draws a fresh mix of word lists at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different sheet.
What's on each sheet
- Sorting. Write each phrase from the bank under Simile or Metaphor. 14 words per page.
Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.
How to teach this
Compare the same idea in both forms: he ran like the wind against he was the wind. Ask which is bolder and when a writer might want each. Then send students hunting in their own reading; song lyrics and sports writing are reliably rich territory for both figures.
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
- Is one of the two stronger writing?
- Neither; they do different jobs. A simile keeps the comparison visible and gentle, while a metaphor commits fully and hits harder. Strong writers choose deliberately, and strong readers notice the choice. That noticing is exactly what this sort practices.
- What figurative language comes after similes and metaphors?
- Personification (the wind howled), hyperbole (I've told you a million times), and idioms (break the ice). Similes and metaphors are the foundation, because almost every other figure is a variation on comparing one thing to another.
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Aligned to Common Core L.5.5.a. Reviewed by the One More Sheet curriculum team. Content version 68, updated July 2026.