Name ___________________________      Date ____________________ 
        
             Identifying Figurative Language in Poetry 
       Figurative language describes ideas by comparing them to 
       something else or adding descriptive words and phrases.  There 
       are different types of figurative language, including similes, 
       metaphors, personification, hyperbole, and idioms.   
       Instructions.  Read the lines of poetry.  Each line is separated by 
       a “/”. Identify the figurative language and figure out what it is trying 
       to mean.  Write the meaning on the line below. 
       Example:  She was so sad / she cried a river of tears / She just kept crying. 
       _____ She cried a lot of tears.  _____________________ 
       1.  The music played loud / loud as a headache / beating on the brain. 
       ___________________________________________________ 
       2.  Straight and tall / like a soldier / standing at attention / the tree was 
       proud. 
       ____________________________________________________ 
       3.  Tap, tap, tap / the rain drops came / like a little drummer outside the 
       window 
       ______________________________________________________ 
       4.  The building fell / it fell so fast / like a house of cards. 
       ______________________________________________________ 
       5.  Close your eyes / dream of palaces / dream of kings / dream of so many 
       amazing things. 
       _______________________________________________________ 
        
                              
              © This worksheet is from www.teach-nology.com 
       Name ___________________________      Date ____________________ 
        
           Identifying Figurative Language in Poetry – ANSWER KEY 
       Figurative language describes ideas by comparing them to something else 
       or adding descriptive words and phrases.  There are different types of 
       figurative language, including similes, metaphors, personification, 
       hyperbole, and idioms.   
       Instructions.  Read the lines of poetry.  Each line is separated by a “/”. 
       Identify the figurative language and figure out what it is trying to mean.  
       Write the meaning on the line below. 
       Example:  She was so sad / she cried a river of tears / She just kept crying. 
       _____ She cried a lot of tears.  _____________________ 
       1.  The music played loud / loud as a headache / beating on the brain. 
       ___the music was too loud for the listener to enjoy it ___________ 
       2.  Straight and tall / like a soldier / standing at attention / the tree was 
       proud. 
       ___the tree was tall and straight _________________ 
       3.  Tap, tap, tap / the rain drops came / like a little drummer outside the 
       window 
       ____the rain sounded like music outside ____________________ 
       4.  The building fell / it fell so fast / like a house of cards. 
       ____the building was fragile and fell fast ____________________ 
       5.  Close your eyes / dream of palaces / dream of kings / dream of so many 
       amazing things. 
       ___imagine magical places and times_______________________ 
              © This worksheet is from www.teach-nology.com