What the Phrase Really Means is a free printable Grade 3 English worksheet on explaining an idiom, simile or metaphor, aligned to Common Core standard RL.3.4. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 17 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

One paper per pupil

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

What the Phrase Really Means

RL.3.4

NameDate

Tick the right answer.

1."It is raining cats and dogs." What does this really mean?

A.Animals are falling from the sky.
B.It is raining very hard.

2."As light as a feather" What does this really mean?

A.weighing very little
B.a feather's actual weight

3."As busy as a bee" What does this really mean?

A.working very hard
B.an insect gathering pollen

4."As quiet as a mouse" What does this really mean?

A.making almost no sound
B.a small silent rodent

5."She let the cat out of the bag." What does this really mean?

A.She released a cat from a bag.
B.She gave away a secret.

6."Break a leg!" What does this really mean?

A.Injure your leg.
B.Good luck.

7."It costs an arm and a leg." What does this really mean?

A.The price is body parts.
B.It is very expensive.

8."Hold your horses." What does this really mean?

A.Wait and slow down.
B.Grip some horses.

LessonPrint · RL.3.4 · Set 17 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — What the Phrase Really Means

Set 17. Prints on its own sheet.

1.It is raining very hard.
2.weighing very little
3.working very hard
4.making almost no sound
5.She gave away a secret.
6.Good luck.
7.It is very expensive.
8.Wait and slow down.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to RL.3.4 of the Common Core State Standards for English language arts.