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 14 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."Haste makes waste." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Hurrying saves time.
  • B.Waste should be thrown away quickly.
  • C.Rushing leads to mistakes.
2."Many hands make light work." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Work is best done alone.
  • B.A job is easier when lots of people help.
  • C.Hands are not heavy.
3."The pen is mightier than the sword." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Words can change things more than fighting can.
  • B.Pens are sharper than swords.
  • C.Writing is a kind of fighting.
4."All that glitters is not gold." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Something that looks good may not be worth much.
  • B.Gold does not shine.
  • C.Shiny things are always gold.
5."Better late than never." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Being late is always fine.
  • B.Never be early.
  • C.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
6."Honesty is the best policy." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Rules should be written down.
  • B.Telling the truth is the wisest choice.
  • C.Honest people make the rules.
7."Look before you leap." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Think carefully before you act.
  • B.Leaping is dangerous.
  • C.Always check the ground before jumping.
8."Rome wasn't built in a day." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Rome is a very old city.
  • B.Big things take time to achieve.
  • C.Building work is slow.

LessonPrint · L.5.5 · Set 14 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Adages and Proverbs

Set 14. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Rushing leads to mistakes.
  2. 2.A job is easier when lots of people help.
  3. 3.Words can change things more than fighting can.
  4. 4.Something that looks good may not be worth much.
  5. 5.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
  6. 6.Telling the truth is the wisest choice.
  7. 7.Think carefully before you act.
  8. 8.Big things take time to achieve.

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