Skip to content
LessonPrint

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

Next set

One paper per student

12345678910111213141516171819202122232425

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."Necessity is the mother of invention." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Inventors are always mothers.
  • B.Inventions are not needed.
  • C.People invent things when they really need them.
2."A stitch in time saves nine." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Nine stitches are always needed.
  • B.Sewing is faster than shopping.
  • C.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.
3."Haste makes waste." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Rushing leads to mistakes.
  • B.Waste should be thrown away quickly.
  • C.Hurrying saves time.
4."Don't count your chickens before they hatch." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Count eggs carefully.
  • B.Do not rely on something good before it has happened.
  • C.Chickens are hard to count.
5."Look before you leap." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Leaping is dangerous.
  • B.Think carefully before you act.
  • C.Always check the ground before jumping.
6."Honesty is the best policy." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Rules should be written down.
  • B.Honest people make the rules.
  • C.Telling the truth is the wisest choice.
7."Where there's a will, there's a way." What does this saying mean?
  • A.You need a map to find the way.
  • B.Every road leads somewhere.
  • C.If you really want something, you can find a way to do it.
8."Actions speak louder than words." What does this saying mean?
  • A.You should shout when you talk.
  • B.What you do shows more than what you say.
  • C.Doing things is noisy.

LessonPrint · L.5.5 · Set 13 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Adages and Proverbs

Set 13. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.People invent things when they really need them.
  2. 2.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.
  3. 3.Rushing leads to mistakes.
  4. 4.Do not rely on something good before it has happened.
  5. 5.Think carefully before you act.
  6. 6.Telling the truth is the wisest choice.
  7. 7.If you really want something, you can find a way to do it.
  8. 8.What you do shows more than what you say.

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