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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 3 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."Look before you leap." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Leaping is dangerous.
  • B.Always check the ground before jumping.
  • C.Think carefully before you act.
2."Rome wasn't built in a day." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Building work is slow.
  • B.Rome is a very old city.
  • C.Big things take time to achieve.
3."Many hands make light work." What does this saying mean?
  • A.A job is easier when lots of people help.
  • B.Work is best done alone.
  • C.Hands are not heavy.
4."Don't put all your eggs in one basket." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Baskets break easily.
  • B.Do not risk everything on one plan.
  • C.Carry eggs carefully.
5."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.
6."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.
7."Necessity is the mother of invention." What does this saying mean?
  • A.Inventions are not needed.
  • B.Inventors are always mothers.
  • C.People invent things when they really need them.
8."Where there's a will, there's a way." What does this saying mean?
  • A.If you really want something, you can find a way to do it.
  • B.You need a map to find the way.
  • C.Every road leads somewhere.

LessonPrint · L.5.5 · Set 3 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Adages and Proverbs

Set 3. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Think carefully before you act.
  2. 2.Big things take time to achieve.
  3. 3.A job is easier when lots of people help.
  4. 4.Do not risk everything on one plan.
  5. 5.Fixing a small problem now saves a bigger job later.
  6. 6.It is better to do something late than not do it at all.
  7. 7.People invent things when they really need them.
  8. 8.If you really want something, you can find a way to do it.

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