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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 18 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."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."Better late than never." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Never be early.
  • B.Being late is always fine.
  • C.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
3."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.
4."Actions speak louder than words." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Doing things is noisy.
  • B.You should shout when you talk.
  • C.What you do shows more than what you say.
5."Necessity is the mother of invention." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Inventors are always mothers.
  • B.People invent things when they really need them.
  • C.Inventions are not needed.
6."All that glitters is not gold." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Shiny things are always gold.
  • B.Gold does not shine.
  • C.Something that looks good may not be worth much.
7."Two heads are better than one." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Working with someone else helps solve problems.
  • B.One person always knows best.
  • C.Some animals have two heads.
8."A stitch in time saves nine." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Sewing is faster than shopping.
  • B.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.
  • C.Nine stitches are always needed.

LessonPrint · L.5.5 · Set 18 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Adages and Proverbs

Set 18. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Rushing leads to mistakes.
  2. 2.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
  3. 3.A job is easier when lots of people help.
  4. 4.What you do shows more than what you say.
  5. 5.People invent things when they really need them.
  6. 6.Something that looks good may not be worth much.
  7. 7.Working with someone else helps solve problems.
  8. 8.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.

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