Final answer:
The figurative language used in the sentence 'I had to break the ice in homeroom so my students would feel comfortable' is an idiom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The figurative language used in the sentence 'I had to break the ice in homeroom so my students would feel comfortable' is an idiom. An idiom is a figure of speech that has a different meaning than its literal interpretation. 'Break the ice' is an idiom that means to initiate or start a conversation in order to create a friendly environment. In this context, it means the speaker had to initiate conversation in homeroom to make their students feel comfortable and at ease.