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Adages and Proverbs is a free printable Grade 5 English worksheet on what a well-known saying really means, aligned to Common Core standard L.5.5. 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 students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 10 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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

Adages and Proverbs

L.5.5

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1."A stitch in time saves nine." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Nine stitches are always needed.
  • B.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.
  • C.Sewing is faster than shopping.
2."Honesty is the best policy." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Honest people make the rules.
  • B.Telling the truth is the wisest choice.
  • C.Rules should be written down.
3."Don't count your chickens before they hatch." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Do not rely on something good before it has happened.
  • B.Count eggs carefully.
  • C.Chickens are hard to count.
4."Rome wasn't built in a day." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Big things take time to achieve.
  • B.Building work is slow.
  • C.Rome is a very old city.
5."Where there's a will, there's a way." What does this saying mean?
  • A.You need a map to find the way.
  • B.If you really want something, you can find a way to do it.
  • C.Every road leads somewhere.
6."Better late than never." What does this saying mean?
  • A.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
  • B.Never be early.
  • C.Being late is always fine.
7."Haste makes waste." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Hurrying saves time.
  • B.Rushing leads to mistakes.
  • C.Waste should be thrown away quickly.
8."Necessity is the mother of invention." What does this saying mean?
  • A.People invent things when they really need them.
  • B.Inventors are always mothers.
  • C.Inventions are not needed.

LessonPrint · L.5.5 · Set 10 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Adages and Proverbs

Set 10. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.
  2. 2.Telling the truth is the wisest choice.
  3. 3.Do not rely on something good before it has happened.
  4. 4.Big things take time to achieve.
  5. 5.If you really want something, you can find a way to do it.
  6. 6.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
  7. 7.Rushing leads to mistakes.
  8. 8.People invent things when they really need them.

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.5.5 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.