Subtraction Word Problem Worksheets
Free printable subtraction word problems: take-away stories asking how many are left. Single digits by default, up to three digits, with an answer key.
These are take-away stories. Someone starts with some, then loses, eats, gives away or uses up a few, and the question asks how many are left. Leo had 9 pencils and lost 4 during the day. How many pencils does he still have? The larger number always comes first, so an answer is never below zero.
Single digits are the default, which keeps every problem inside the facts a first or second grader is learning. What a student practises is spotting the subtraction: these stories say "left" and "still have" where an addition story says "more". Move Digits to 2 and the same stories need borrowing, which is where second and third grade take them.
What this worksheet covers
- Tell take-away stories apart from addition stories
- Write and solve the subtraction sentence the story describes
Common Core standards
- 1.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 20 to solve word problems.
- 2.OA.A.1 Use addition and subtraction within 100 to solve one- and two-step word problems.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of subtraction word problems are these?
Take-away stories, where an amount is removed and the question asks what remains. They do not include comparison stories ("how many more does Sam have?"), which are a harder idea and worth teaching separately. Addition and Subtraction Word Problems includes them.
Can the answer be zero or negative?
Never negative, because the larger number is always the starting amount. Zero can happen: someone with 6 muffins who gives away 6 has none left.
How do I get subtraction with borrowing?
Set Digits to 2 or 3. Then open Advanced options and set Regrouping to Regrouping Only if you want every problem to need it.
What grade are subtraction word problems for?
Single-digit stories suit first and second grade. Two-digit stories with borrowing suit second and third grade, and three-digit stories third and fourth.
Is there an answer key?
Yes. Tick Answer key and a matching page prints the number sentence under each story, such as 9 - 4 = 5.