Free printable math keywords chart
Grades 1–5The words in a word problem that hint at which operation to use, sorted by what they usually mean — and an honest look at the ones that lie. Print it for the wall, or search the list below when a phrase turns up that nobody explained.
Tap the chart to open it at full size
Forty phrases, sorted by operation
Search for a phrase or filter by operation. Each one is color-coded to the operation it usually signals.
Look at how often the same word appears twice. Each can mean multiply — five bags with three each — or divide — fifteen shared out so they get three each. Per does the same. In all usually means add and sometimes means multiply.
That is not a flaw in the list, it is the truth about English. These words are hints about what the sentence is describing, not instructions about what to do, and a chart that pretended otherwise would be teaching children to guess.
- +sum ofAddition
- +totalAddition
- +altogetherAddition
- +in allAddition
- +combinedAddition
- +plusAddition
- +increased byAddition
- +bothAddition
- +how many in totalAddition
- +added toAddition
- −differenceSubtraction
- −how many moreSubtraction
- −how many fewerSubtraction
- −take awaySubtraction
- −minusSubtraction
- −decreased bySubtraction
- −how many are leftSubtraction
- −remainSubtraction
- −change fromSubtraction
- −lostSubtraction
- ×product ofMultiplication
- ×timesMultiplication
- ×groups ofMultiplication
- ×twiceMultiplication
- ×doubleMultiplication
- ×tripleMultiplication
- ×per, in a rateMultiplication
- ×of, with a fractionMultiplication
- ×rows ofMultiplication
- ×each, in equal groupsMultiplication
- ÷quotient ofDivision
- ÷shared equallyDivision
- ÷split intoDivision
- ÷divided byDivision
- ÷each, from a totalDivision
- ÷how many groupsDivision
- ÷averageDivision
- ÷half ofDivision
- ÷per oneDivision
- ÷cut intoDivision
40 phrases shown. Notice that each and per appear twice — they can mean multiply or divide depending on the sentence.
How to use this key words chart at home
Put it up beside the homework rather than beside the child. It is a reference for a stuck moment, not something to work through. Nobody learns forty phrases from a list; they learn them by meeting them in problems and looking them up.
Underline the key words in a problem together before doing anything else. It slows the reading down, which is usually the actual issue — most word-problem errors are reading errors rather than arithmetic ones.
Then close the chart and ask what is happening. If a child can say Sam had some sweets and gave a few away, the operation follows on its own. If they cannot, no list of key words will rescue them.
Key words are hints, not instructions
This is worth saying plainly, because a lot of teaching implies otherwise. Key words are patterns in how people phrase things, and English is not consistent enough to make them rules.
The clearest counter-example is more than. Ali has 3 and Sam has 5 more than Ali is addition. Sam has 12, which is 5 more than Ali is subtraction. Identical phrase, opposite operation, and a child hunting for key words gets the second one wrong every time.
Left is another. How many are left is usually subtraction, but if three friends each have four sweets left, the total left is multiplication. The word describes the situation, not the sum.
The words that genuinely go both ways
Each is the biggest one. Four bags with three apples each means multiply. Twelve apples shared so they get three each means divide. Same word, opposite operations, and which one it is depends entirely on whether you are building up or breaking down.
Per behaves the same way. Miles per hour multiplies when you know the rate and want the total, and divides when you know the total and want the rate.
In all usually means add, but four rows of five in all means multiply. Whenever a phrase involves equal groups, the arithmetic is multiplication or division rather than addition, whatever the words suggest.
Where word problems usually go wrong
Grabbing the first key word and running. Seeing more and adding, without reading the rest of the sentence.
Missing a second step. Many problems need two operations, and a child who finds one key word often stops there.
Ignoring what the answer should look like. If sharing something out gives an answer bigger than what you started with, something is wrong, and noticing that catches a lot of mistakes.
Answering the sum rather than the question. Working out 53 ÷ 10 = 5 remainder 3 correctly and writing 5, when the question asked how many boxes are needed and the answer is 6.
After the chart goes up
A chart explains the idea but gives a child nothing to do. These do the rest.
- number sense at Mathify Kids — every topic in this area, sorted by grade.
- addition facts worksheets — printable practice.
- subtraction facts worksheets — the next step once this is solid.
- division with remainders worksheets — more practice in the same area.
Everything at this level: Grade 1 math · Grade 2 math · Grade 3 math · Grade 4 math · Grade 5 math
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Questions parents ask
What are math key words?
Words and phrases in a word problem that hint at which operation is needed. Total and altogether usually point to addition; difference and how many left point to subtraction. They are a useful starting point, but they are hints rather than rules.
Which words mean multiply?
Product, times, groups of, rows of, twice, double and triple. Per and each often signal multiplication too, but only when you are building up from a rate — three boxes with four in each. The same words can signal division when you are breaking a total down.
Which words mean divide?
Quotient, shared equally, split into, how many groups, average and cut into. Half of and per one also point to division. The clearest signal is a total being broken into equal parts rather than parts being combined.
Do key words always work?
No, and it is worth telling children that directly. More than usually means add, but Sam has 12, which is 5 more than Ali is a subtraction. Key words are a clue about what the sentence describes; the sentence itself still has to be understood.
What should my child do instead of hunting for key words?
Read the problem twice, say what is happening in their own words, decide whether the answer should be bigger or smaller than what they started with, and only then choose an operation. Key words help at the choosing stage — they are not a substitute for the first three.
What grade is this key words chart for?
Grades 1 to 5. Simple addition and subtraction wording arrives first, multiplication and division phrasing around Grade 3, and multi-step problems with mixed language by Grade 5.
Is this math key words chart free to print?
Yes. Open it full size and print as many copies as you need for home or a classroom, with no account and no watermark. Reselling it or re-hosting the file elsewhere is not allowed — link to this page instead.