Bingo ideas / For English class

Figurative Language Bingo Cards

A hands-on way to review literary devices. A caller reads an example sentence, and players mark the figurative language it shows — simile, metaphor, hyperbole — with the first to a line winning while the room names the technique.

Free to design and print · edit any square · 3×3, 4×4, or 5×5

Figurative language bingo turns a grammar review into an active hunt for devices. Start from the schoolhouse template, keep the terms below or match the ones you are teaching, and you have cards ready to print in a couple of minutes for a lesson or a literature warm-up.

Because every card is shuffled from the same square list, no two students get the same grid — so a whole class can play together while the caller reads example sentences and the room identifies the simile, metaphor, or personification at work.

Squares for a figurative-language card
  • Simile
  • Metaphor
  • Personification
  • Hyperbole
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Alliteration
  • Idiom
  • Symbolism
  • Imagery
  • Allusion
  • Oxymoron
  • Pun
  • Assonance
  • Consonance
  • Metonymy
  • Synecdoche
  • Irony
  • Analogy
  • Cliché
  • Euphemism
  • Understatement
  • Allegory
  • Anaphora
  • Foreshadowing

These are just a starting point — swap in your own words in the editor before you print.

Ideas for your game

  • Read examples, not terms

    Call sentences like "her smile was sunshine" and let players mark the device. It tests whether students can recognize figurative language in real writing, not just define it.

  • Pull examples from your reading

    Use lines from the book your class is studying. The game then doubles as close reading, and students start spotting the same devices in their own texts.

  • Print a class set or play live

    Print cards for a review session, or share one link and a QR code so students play from devices while you read example sentences aloud or display them on screen.

Editable and printable

Edit every square. Open the card in the editor, keep the suggested squares or replace them with your own words, emoji, or photos, and pick a theme that fits the day.

Print a whole set at once. Each card is shuffled from the same square list, so every player gets a unique grid. Print to standard letter or A4 paper on any home printer — or order professionally printed cards shipped to your door.

Or play live. Share one link and a QR code and the whole room plays from their phones, in person or over video.

Questions

How do I make figurative language bingo for free?

Open the editor, pick the schoolhouse theme, keep the suggested devices or swap in the ones you teach, then print. A basic set is free to make and print for class.

Which terms should I include?

Match your grade level. The default list covers core devices plus advanced ones like metonymy and anaphora, so you can edit squares to fit elementary through high school.

Can I print these on regular paper?

Yes. The print view is sized for standard letter and A4 paper, so any classroom printer works. You can also order professionally printed cards for repeated use.

How do I make it harder for older students?

Read trickier examples or mix several devices in one sentence, and use a full 5×5 grid. For younger classes, call clear examples and pick a smaller, faster grid.

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