Keywords for Math Word Problems Worksheet

All 49 key words

Add 13

added to 4 added to 15 is 15 + 4 = 19.
altogether 6 pens and 9 pencils are 6 + 9 = 15 altogether.
both A cap costs $6 and a scarf $9: both cost 6 + 9 = $15.
combined Two teams score 12 and 10: combined, 12 + 10 = 22.
gained A team with 14 points gained 3: 14 + 3 = 17.
grew by A line of 10 children grew by 4: 10 + 4 = 14.
in all 5 cows and 7 sheep are 5 + 7 = 12 animals in all.
increased by 20 increased by 8 is 20 + 8 = 28.
joined 7 children played and 2 joined them: 7 + 2 = 9.
plus 8 plus 6 is 8 + 6 = 14.
sum The sum of 7 and 5 is 7 + 5 = 12.
together Ana has 3 kites and Ben has 5: together, 3 + 5 = 8.
total 9 red beads and 4 blue beads: the total is 9 + 4 = 13.

Show all 49 key words (36 more)

Subtract 13

decreased by 30 decreased by 12 is 30 − 12 = 18.
difference The difference between 15 and 9 is 15 − 9 = 6.
fewer than 5 fewer than 12 is 12 − 5 = 7.
gave away 16 cards, gave away 7: 16 − 7 = 9 kept.
how many fewer 5 is how many fewer than 13? 13 − 5 = 8.
how many more 14 is how many more than 8? 14 − 8 = 6.
left 10 grapes, 6 eaten: 10 − 6 = 4 are left.
less than 3 less than 10 is 10 − 3 = 7.
lost 17 marbles, lost 8: 17 − 8 = 9.
minus 13 minus 5 is 13 − 5 = 8.
remain 18 seats, 11 taken: 18 − 11 = 7 remain.
spent Had $20 and spent $6: 20 − 6 = $14.
take away 11 take away 4 is 11 − 4 = 7.

Multiply 11

area A rug 2 meters by 5 meters has an area of 2 × 5 = 10 square meters.
double Double 9 is 2 × 9 = 18.
groups of 5 groups of 4 are 5 × 4 = 20.
multiplied by 6 multiplied by 3 is 6 × 3 = 18.
product The product of 5 and 7 is 5 × 7 = 35.
rows of 3 rows of 8 desks are 3 × 8 = 24 desks.
stacks of 6 stacks of 5 coins are 6 × 5 = 30 coins.
times 4 times 9 is 4 × 9 = 36.
times as many Lee has 3 shells and Kai has 4 times as many: 4 × 3 = 12.
triple Triple 4 is 3 × 4 = 12.
twice Twice 7 is 2 × 7 = 14.

Divide 12

a quarter of A quarter of 20 is 20 ÷ 4 = 5.
a third of A third of 21 is 21 ÷ 3 = 7.
cut into A 15 meter rope cut into 5 equal pieces: 15 ÷ 5 = 3 meters each.
divided by 28 divided by 7 is 28 ÷ 7 = 4.
evenly 27 cards dealt evenly to 3 players: 27 ÷ 3 = 9 each.
half of Half of 16 is 16 ÷ 2 = 8.
how many groups 30 pencils, 6 to a group: how many groups? 30 ÷ 6 = 5.
how many in each 32 eggs in 4 boxes, how many in each? 32 ÷ 4 = 8.
quotient The quotient of 24 and 6 is 24 ÷ 6 = 4.
separate into Separate 14 socks into pairs: 14 ÷ 2 = 7 pairs.
share equally Share 18 crackers equally among 6 children: 18 ÷ 6 = 3 each.
split 20 stickers split between 4 friends: 20 ÷ 4 = 5 each.

How this list was compiled: Our own selection of 49 key words and phrases under four headings, each filed under the operation it usually signals in a school word problem, with an example of our own. Every example sum was worked again by a script on 2026-10-01. The arithmetic terms (sum, total, plus, combined; minus, difference, take away; product, times, multiplied by, groups of, double; quotient, divided by, divided evenly) were read on 2026-10-01 in the articles Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division (mathematics) at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addition and its sister pages, and the plain words twice, triple, double, half, third, quarter, split, share, altogether, remain and fewer in their entries at https://en.wiktionary.org/. The phrases are the ones on our math key words flashcards, with a few added and none filed under a different operation; each, per, more, of, by, every and equal groups are left off because they can point to two operations. A key word is a clue to read in its sentence, not a rule. No published chart was copied. Licence: own work

How it works

This keywords for math word problems worksheet prints a box of key words and four headings: add, subtract, multiply and divide. The child writes each phrase under the operation it usually signals.

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Key words that mislead

A key word is a clue, not a rule. In all usually means add, but 6 boxes of 4 pens hold 6 × 4 = 24 pens in all. Left usually means subtract, but 3 toys left on the bed and 5 left on the floor are 3 + 5 = 8 toys. Each, per and more alone point two ways, so the list has only the phrases how many in each and how many more.

Change the sheet

Things to sort sets how many phrases print; 16 and 20 fill all four headings. Answer by switches from writing to cut and paste tiles. To use your own, type a heading, a colon and its phrases on each line: Add: sum, plus, total.

Every phrase is listed under the tool with a worked example, such as Triple 4 is 3 × 4 = 12.

Questions and answers

Which key words mean multiply or divide?

Multiply: product, times, twice, double, triple, groups of, rows of, times as many. Divide: quotient, divided by, split, share equally, half of, cut into, how many in each. The add and subtract lists are under the tool.

Is there an answer key on this math word problems key words worksheet?

Yes. It prints as the last page unless you untick Add an answer key as the last page under More options. The key lists every phrase under its heading, in the same columns as the sheet.

Do key words always give the right operation?

No. They point to an operation most of the time, and the story decides. How many in all after equal groups is multiplication, and how many more compares two amounts by subtraction, although more sounds like adding.

Can I practice these as flashcards?

Yes. The math key words flashcards carry most of these phrases with an example on each back, and a set for per, each and more, the words with two meanings.

Keywords for Math Word Problems Worksheet: Sort by Operation