Synonyms & Antonyms — Answer Key
Part A: Multiple Choice
Circle the best answer for each question.
1. Before a school play, an actor says "break a leg" to a friend. What does this idiom mean?
A) Good luck
B) Get hurt
C) Run fast
D) Stay home
Break a leg is a friendly idiom that means good luck, even though the words sound scary.
2. Mom said it was "raining cats and dogs." What does this idiom really mean?
A) Animals are falling
B) It is raining very hard
C) It is only drizzling
D) The rain stopped
Raining cats and dogs is an idiom meaning the rain is very heavy, not that animals are falling.
3. The teacher told us to "hit the books" after lunch. Which plain meaning matches?
A) Throw the books
B) Study hard
C) Close the books
D) Buy new books
Hit the books is an idiom that means to study hard, not to actually hit or throw books.
4. Sam felt "under the weather" and stayed home. What does the idiom really mean?
A) Outside in rain
B) Feeling sick
C) Very happy
D) Playing outside
Under the weather is an idiom meaning feeling sick, not actually being under clouds or rain.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the correct answer on each line.
1. When my uncle said "it is a piece of cake," he meant the job is very easy.
A piece of cake is an idiom that means very easy, so easy is the right synonym.
2. Grandma told me to "keep my chin up," which really means stay positive.
Keep your chin up is an idiom that means stay positive and strong during hard times.
3. When Coach said Lee was a "couch potato," he meant Lee was lazy.
Couch potato is an idiom for someone who is lazy and sits around instead of being active.
4. When Dad said "my lips are sealed," he really meant he will keep it secret.
My lips are sealed is an idiom meaning the person will keep something secret.
5. When the teacher said "time flies," she really meant time passes quickly.
Time flies is an idiom that means time passes quickly, so quickly is the plain synonym.