Maths · Grades 1–5
Free math word problems worksheets (grades 1 to 5)
Free printable math word problems worksheets banded by grade: add and subtract within 20 and 100, multiplication and division facts, choose the operation, two-step, multi-digit, fractions and decimals, money and measurement. Answer keys.
Grade 1 word problems: add and subtract within 20
Eight addition and subtraction stories within 20 with a box to draw the problem and a line for the number sentence. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
Grade 2 word problems: add and subtract within 100
Eight two-digit addition and subtraction problems, several with regrouping. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
Whole set
All 8 sheets in one PDF
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Grade 3 word problems: multiplication and division facts
Eight equal-groups problems using multiplication and division facts to 9 x 9. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
Grade 3 word problems: choose the operation
Eight mixed problems: decide whether to add, subtract, multiply or divide, with a clue-words box. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
Grade 4 word problems: two steps
Six two-step problems with working space; the key shows both steps. Free printable PDF.
Grade 4 word problems: multi-digit multiplication and division
Six problems with two-digit by two-digit multiplication and division by a one-digit divisor, estimate first. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
Grade 5 word problems: fractions and decimals
Six problems adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing simple fractions and decimals. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
Grade 5 word problems: money and measurement
Six money, length, time and capacity problems with unit conversions and a check-your-answer box. Answer key on page 2. Free printable PDF.
AI worksheet generator
Make a worksheet like this for your class
The 8 sheets above are fixed. The generator writes a new math word problems (grades 1 to 5) worksheet for your grade, with the question types and count you choose, in about 20 seconds. Pick a grade to start:
What you get
- A fresh set of questions on math word problems (grades 1 to 5), not a copy of the sheets above
- Multiple choice, fill in the blanks, true or false, open ended
- Answer key and print-ready PDF with Pro
Free account, 1 worksheets a week. No card.
Word problems are where arithmetic meets reading, and where most children first get stuck: the numbers are easy, but knowing what to do with them is not. These eight worksheets are banded by grade so a child works at the right level of both. Grades 1 and 2 add and subtract within 20 and then within 100; grade 3 moves to equal groups and then to choosing the operation; grade 4 tackles two-step problems and multi-digit multiplication and division; grade 5 finishes with fractions, decimals, money and measurement. Every problem was written by hand with a realistic context and a whole-number or tidy answer, and every sheet carries a worked example and an answer key on page 2.
What's in this set
- Grade 1: add and subtract within 20. Eight problems with a box to draw the story before writing the number sentence.
- Grade 2: add and subtract within 100. Eight two-digit problems, several with regrouping, and working space.
- Grade 3: multiplication and division facts. Eight equal-groups problems using facts to 9 × 9.
- Grade 3: choose the operation. Eight mixed problems and a clue-words box for each operation.
- Grade 4: two steps. Six problems with a hidden question; the key shows both steps.
- Grade 4: multi-digit multiplication and division. Six problems, estimate first, then solve exactly.
- Grade 5: fractions and decimals. Six problems with denominators to 8 and decimals to hundredths.
- Grade 5: money and measurement. Six problems with dollars and cents, meters, time and liters, and a check-your-answer box.
Free printable makers
Make your own math word problems (grades 1 to 5) sheets
Type your own words or numbers and print in about 30 seconds. No account, no AI, answer key where it applies.
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AI worksheet generator
Need a different math word problems (grades 1 to 5) worksheet?
Generate a custom math word problems (grades 1 to 5) worksheet: pick the grade, question types and count, and print it in about 20 seconds. Free accounts get 1 generation a week.
How to use these worksheets
Pick the sheet for the child's grade, not their age, and read the first problem together. The routine below works on every sheet.
- Read twice, then retell. First reading for the story, second for the numbers. Ask the child to tell you what happened without looking. If they cannot, the problem is not understood yet.
- Underline the numbers, circle the question. Then ask: will the answer be bigger or smaller than what we started with? That one question chooses the operation more reliably than clue words.
- Draw it (grade 1). Circles or dots in the box, crossed out for subtraction. The drawing is the calculation at this age.
- Clue words (grade 3, choose the operation). The box lists words that usually signal each operation. Treat them as hints, not rules: "each" can mean multiply or divide.
- Two steps (grade 4). Ask "what do I need to know first?" and write that answer down before going on. Most two-step mistakes come from doing the second step on the wrong number.
- Estimate (grade 4 multi-digit). Round both numbers, work it out roughly, write the estimate next to the problem. If the exact answer is far away, something went wrong.
- Units (grade 5). Every answer needs a unit. The check box asks whether the answer makes sense, has the right unit and agrees with a rough estimate.
Common mistakes to watch for
- Grabbing the two numbers and adding. The most common error at every grade. The bigger-or-smaller question stops it.
- Answering the wrong question. Two-step problems often ask for what is left, not the total. Circle the question.
- Forgetting the unit or the sentence. "44" is not an answer; "44 cards" is. Insist on a short answer sentence.
- Losing the decimal point. On the grade 5 sheets, line decimals up on the point before adding or subtracting.
Frequently asked questions
Which sheet should my child start with?
The one for their grade. Each sheet's title names the grade and skill (for example "Grade 3 word problems: choose the operation"). A child who finds the grade sheet hard should drop down one sheet, not one grade: the two grade 3 sheets and the two grade 4 sheets step up in difficulty.
Do the worksheets include answer keys?
Yes. Every sheet has the answers on page 2, written as the number sentence and the answer with its unit. The two-step key shows both steps.
How many word problems should a child do in one sitting?
Four to six, done properly (read, retell, decide, solve, check), beat a whole page done fast. The sheets have six or eight problems so one sheet is one or two sessions.
Are the problems aligned to a curriculum?
They follow the Common Core progression: OA.1 and OA.2 word problems within 20 and 100 for grades 1 and 2, 3.OA equal groups for grade 3, 4.OA.3 multi-step problems for grade 4, 5.NF and 5.MD fraction, decimal and measurement problems for grade 5. The numbers are kept in the middle of each grade's range.
Can I get more problems like these?
Yes. The word problem generator writes a fresh set at any grade level on a topic you choose, with answers.
More practice
For the arithmetic behind the stories: addition and subtraction worksheets, addition with regrouping, subtraction with regrouping, the multiplication chart and division facts, multi-digit multiplication and long division. For grade 5: fractions worksheets, decimals worksheets and counting money worksheets. Grade 1 children who need the facts first can use the number bonds worksheets and doubles addition worksheets.
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