Multi-Step Word Problems Worksheets for Grade 4

Grade 4 Math 12 Printable Worksheets 100% FREE

No Signup Required Free PDF Download Instant Access Answer Key Included

MainContent

p-top: 48 p-bot: 48 p-left: 32 p-right: 32 p-x: 32 m-bot: 24

Multi-step word problems are the ultimate application challenge in Grade 4 math. Fourth graders must read a problem carefully, identify how many calculations are needed, choose the correct operations in the correct order, and carry each result into the next step. Problems progress from two-step addition and subtraction through mixed operations combining multiplication, division, and addition or subtraction in a single problem.

The main challenge is that students either perform only one step — stopping too early — or perform the steps in the wrong order. Students also struggle to identify what each number in the problem represents and whether intermediate results should be added, subtracted, or used in a new calculation. In Grade 3, students solved one-step word problems; by Grade 5, they will solve complex multi-step problems involving fractions and decimals. Grade 4 is when systematic problem-solving habits are established.

Our multi-step word problems worksheets give fourth graders structured practice correcting calculation errors, solving two- and three-step problems involving all four operations, matching expressions to results, and applying multi-step reasoning to real contexts involving money, inventory, distance, and rates.

Worksheet Preview

Browse all 12 printable worksheets below — click any card to open the full page.

Easy

Part A: Fix the Sentence

Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A school collected 348 cans the first week and 276 cans the second week. They donated 150 cans. They have

2. Jake had 500 baseball cards. He traded away 235 and then received 180 new ones. He now has

3. A library had 1,200 books. It lent out 475 in March and 390 in April. There are

4. Sara saved $645 and earned $355 more. She spent $287 on a bike. She has $

Part C: Short Answer

Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Easy

Part A: Fix the Sentence

Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A school has 1,500 fiction books and 2,350 nonfiction books. If 1,200 books are checked out, the library has

2. Carlos had 975 points. He lost 368 points, then earned 450 more. His score is now

3. A warehouse stored 4,200 boxes. It shipped 1,875 on Wednesday and 960 on Thursday. There are

4. Emma collected 680 seashells and her sister collected 320. They gave away 515 shells. They have

Part C: Short Answer

Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Easy

Part A: Fix the Sentence

Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A plumber has 750 cm of pipe. He uses 284 cm on one job and 195 cm on another. He has

2. Maya saved $465 in January and $390 in February. She spent $275 on art supplies. She has $

3. A container holds 2,000 mL of juice. After pouring out 875 mL in the morning and 640 mL at lunch, there are

4. Ben earned $340 mowing lawns and $215 washing cars. He bought a game for $129. He has $

Part C: Short Answer

Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Easy

Part A: Fix the Sentence

Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A toy store received 1,350 action figures. It sold 478 online and 395 in the shop. There are

2. Kayla earned $585 babysitting and $310 from chores. She donated $225 to charity. She has $

3. A school ordered 800 pencils and 450 erasers. Students used 675 items during the year. There are

4. A clothing store sold shirts for $1,240 and pants for $865. It paid $730 in costs. The store's profit is $

Part C: Short Answer

Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Medium

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A coach buys 6 jerseys at $45 each and one bag for $85. The total cost is $

2. A factory makes 125 toys per hour. After 8 hours, 350 are shipped out. There are

3. A farm produces 1,250 gallons of milk per week. In 4 weeks, after selling 1,800 gallons, the farm has

4. Mia buys 5 books at $38 each and a bookshelf for $75. She spends $

5. A bakery bakes 215 cookies each day for 3 days. Then it receives an order for 480 more. The total count is

6. A gardener plants 60 seeds in each of 7 rows. If 175 seeds do not sprout,

7. A student buys 9 notebooks at $12 each and a calculator for $23. The total is $

8. A family pays $250 per month for utilities. After 4 months, they receive a $370 refund. Their net cost is $

9. A truck delivers 350 packages each trip. After 6 trips plus 900 warehouse packages, the total is

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Medium

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A company divides 1,200 flyers equally among 6 stores. Each store then prints 85 more. Each store has

2. Five friends earn $135 each. They pool their money and split it equally among 3 charities. Each charity gets $

3. A farmer picks 840 apples in 7 days. At that daily rate, in 3 days he picks

4. A warehouse has 1,536 boxes divided equally onto 8 shelves. After removing 45 boxes from one shelf, that shelf has

5. A printer prints 480 pages in 4 hours. In one hour it prints

6. 960 students are split into 5 equal groups. Each group has

7. A school uses 3,500 sheets of paper in 7 weeks. In 2 weeks at this rate, it uses

8. A truck carries 2,450 kg split equally among 5 deliveries. After unloading 128 kg from one delivery, that load weighs

9. A machine makes 756 parts in 9 hours. At this rate, in 4 hours it makes

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Medium

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A florist arranges 8 bouquets with 35 flowers each. She adds 60 extra roses. The total number of flowers is

2. A carpenter builds 4 shelves using 125 nails each. He had 600 nails to start. He has

3. A theater has 7 rows of 48 seats each. If 186 seats are taken,

4. A camp orders 9 boxes of granola bars with 36 bars per box. After handing out 250 bars, there are

5. A farmer plants 6 rows of 145 corn seeds each. Rabbits eat 230 seedlings. There are

6. A photographer takes 5 sets of 84 photos each. She deletes 175 blurry ones. She keeps

7. An office buys 3 packs of paper at $48 each and a toner cartridge for $95. The total bill is $

8. A bus makes 4 trips carrying 55 passengers each. At the end, 38 passengers are still waiting. The bus carried

9. A warehouse stocks 7 crates of 150 cans each. After selling 485 cans, the warehouse has

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Medium

Part A: Fill in the Blank

Write the missing word or number on each line.

1. A machine fills 180 bottles per hour. After 5 hours, 325 bottles are removed for shipping. There are

2. A school has 8 classrooms with 28 desks each. After adding 36 desks from storage, there are

3. A bakery sells 65 cupcakes each day for 6 days. It donates 140 unsold ones. The number sold is

4. A pool drains 450 liters per hour. After 3 hours, a hose refills 500 liters. The net loss is

5. A delivery driver makes 7 stops delivering 42 packages each. He picks up 86 returns. His truck now holds

6. A nurse gives 4 patients 3 pills each day for 5 days. The total number of pills used is

7. A gym orders 5 sets of weights at $165 each and a bench for $230. The total cost is $

8. A library receives 1,200 new books split equally among 4 branches. Each branch already had 575 books. Each branch now has

9. A restaurant serves 95 meals per day. In 8 days, the total meals served is

Part B: Matching

Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.

1. Match each item to its correct answer.

Multi-Step Word Problems

Hard

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. A store orders 8 cases of 125 water bottles each and sells 347 bottles. How many bottles remain?

2. A bakery uses 3,600 eggs in 9 days. At this rate, how many eggs does it use in 5 days?

3. Tickets cost $215 each. A family buys 6 tickets and pays with $1,500. What is the change?

4. 450 students need buses that seat 8 each. How many buses are needed so every student has a seat?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. Four workers earn $375 each. They add a $250 bonus and split the total equally between 2 accounts. Each account gets $

2. A farm has 2,400 oranges in 6 equal crates. Three crates are opened and 275 oranges are sold. There are

3. A company orders 7 printers at $148 each and pays $264 for shipping. The total bill is $

4. A warehouse receives 5,280 items divided into 4 equal shipments. After selling 580 items from one shipment, that shipment has

5. Ava buys 9 shirts at $65 each. She pays with $1,000. Her change is $

Multi-Step Word Problems

Hard

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. A school buys 3 computers at $425 each and 2 monitors at $310 each. What is the total cost?

2. Which is the best estimate for 6 × 489 − 1,210?

3. A pool fills 1,575 gallons in 7 hours. After 3 hours, how many gallons remain to be filled?

4. 8,000 flyers are divided equally among 6 teams. How many flyers are left over?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. A contractor charges $1,250 per room. After painting 5 rooms and giving an $875 discount, the customer pays $

2. A factory produces 7,200 parts in 8 hours. At this rate, it makes

3. A store orders 4 TVs at $768 each. Shipping costs bring the total to $4,000. The shipping cost is $

4. A reservoir holds 9,500 liters split into 4 equal tanks. One tank is drained of 1,500 liters. That tank has

5. Max buys 6 concert tickets at $345 each. He pays with $2,500. His change is $

Multi-Step Word Problems

Hard

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. A warehouse receives 9 pallets of 240 boxes each. After shipping out 1,450 boxes, how many boxes remain?

2. A caterer prepares 3,150 sandwiches in 7 days. At the same rate, how many sandwiches are made in 4 days?

3. A school orders 8 boxes of markers at $175 each. It uses a $340 gift card. How much is still owed?

4. 365 students need to sit in rows of 9. How many full rows are there, and how many students are in the last partial row?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. A factory makes 1,680 parts in 6 hours. It ships 3 hours' worth of parts to a store and keeps the rest. The factory keeps

2. A garden center has 4,500 plants split into 9 equal sections. Two sections are sold. There are

3. A painter buys 6 cans of paint at $234 each. He returns 2 unused cans. He pays $

4. An orchard picks 8,400 apples divided equally among 7 trucks. One truck delivers half its load. That truck still has

5. A shop earns $5,760 over 8 days. Each day it pays $295 in rent. After rent for 8 days, the profit is $

Multi-Step Word Problems

Hard

Part A: Multiple Choice

Circle the best answer for each question.

1. A delivery truck travels 485 km on Monday and 372 km on Tuesday. On Wednesday it travels twice as far as Tuesday. What is the total distance for all three days?

2. A store buys 6 crates of toys at $385 each and sells all the toys for $3,500. What is the profit?

3. A tank holds 4,800 liters and drains 600 liters every hour. After 5 hours, how many liters are left?

4. A printer uses 2,520 sheets in 7 days. At this daily rate, how many sheets are used in 12 days?

Part B: Fill in the Blank

Write the correct answer on each line.

1. A company earns $8,250 from 5 equal contracts. It spends $975 per contract on materials. The profit per contract is $

2. A train travels 3,240 km in 9 hours. In the next 4 hours at the same speed, it covers

3. A cinema has 7 screens showing 4 movies per day each. In one week the total number of showings is

4. A hotel has 6 floors with 45 rooms each. If 187 rooms are booked,

5. A farmer sells 4 loads of hay at $1,125 each. He pays $1,350 for fuel. His earnings after fuel are $

Multi-Step Word Problems

What's Included in This Download

12 Printable Pages covering multi-step word problems

Complete Answer Key for easy grading

Printer-Friendly Format in black & white

Variety of Activities to keep kids engaged

Common Core Aligned grade 4 standards

Instant PDF Download - no signup required

What You'll Learn

These multi-step word problems worksheets help grade 4 students develop essential math skills through engaging activities.

Learning Objectives

Two-Step Problems: Solve problems requiring two operations
Mixed Operations: Choose the correct operations for each step
Estimation: Use rounding to check reasonableness of answers
Interpret Remainders: Decide how to use remainders in context
Real-World Contexts: Apply math to shopping, cooking, travel, and measurement scenarios

Skills Covered

Multi-StepWord ProblemsMixed OperationsEstimationProblem SolvingGrade 4 Math

How to Use These Worksheets

Download & Print: Click the download button to get the PDF. Print on standard 8.5" x 11" paper.
Start Simple: Begin with easier pages before moving to more challenging activities.
Daily Practice: Dedicate 10-15 minutes each day for consistent learning.
Use Manipulatives: Pair worksheets with physical objects like blocks or counters.
Provide Encouragement: Celebrate progress and effort to build confidence.
Check Progress: Use the included answer key to review work together.

Common Mistakes to Watch For

Stopping after one step — students solve the first operation in a two-step problem and write that result as the answer, not recognizing that the problem requires a second computation before the question is answered.
Performing operations in the wrong order — students add before multiplying when the problem requires multiplication first, or subtract before they have completed the addition needed to find a total. Reading carefully to understand what each step produces is essential.
Using the wrong operation — students subtract when the problem calls for division, or multiply when addition is needed. Identifying key words and question structure helps, but the most reliable approach is to understand what quantity each operation produces in the context.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you plan a multi-step word problem before solving?

Read the whole problem first without calculating. Identify what the question is asking. Then work backward: what information do you need to answer that question? And what do you need to find that information? This backward-planning approach reveals the steps in order. Alternatively, list all given information and ask what each fact contributes to the final answer. Both strategies prevent the most common error of jumping into calculations without a plan.

How do you know whether a problem needs more than one step?

Multi-step problems contain information that must be combined before you can answer the actual question. Signal words like 'then,' 'after,' 'remaining,' and 'total' often appear. If you cannot find all the numbers needed to answer the question directly from the problem, an intermediate calculation is required first. Practice reading the question sentence first, then identifying what unknowns still need to be found.

What should you do with the result of the first step?

Label it clearly and carry it into the second step. Write a short annotation like 'remaining = 177' or 'total = 223' so you do not confuse intermediate results with the final answer. Students who do not label intermediate results often use the original numbers again in step two, or lose track of which quantity to use. Showing each step with a label is both a computational habit and a communication skill.

How do you check a multi-step word problem answer?

Work through each step again independently, without looking at your previous calculations. If you get the same answer both times, it is very likely correct. You can also use estimation: round each number and perform rough calculations to verify your answer is in a plausible range. For money problems, check whether the change or total seems reasonable given the amounts involved.

What is a 'rate' problem and how do you solve it?

A rate problem describes something happening at a constant amount per unit of time — 125 toys per hour, 1,575 gallons per 7 hours. To find the rate, divide the total by the number of units. To find a new total at that rate, multiply the rate by the new number of units. For 'A factory makes 125 toys per hour — how many after 3 hours?': 125 × 3 = 375 toys. Identifying the rate and the new time unit is the key first step.

Are these worksheets really free?

Yes! All our worksheets are 100% free to download and print. There's no subscription, no hidden fees, and no registration required.

Can I use these in my classroom?

Absolutely! Teachers are welcome to print and use these worksheets in their classrooms. Make as many copies as needed for your students.

Math

English

Handwriting

Science

Social Studies

Seasonal

Multi-Step Word Problems Worksheets for Grade 4

Worksheet Preview

What's Included in This Download

What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

Skills Covered

How to Use These Worksheets

Common Mistakes to Watch For

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Worksheets You Might Like

CodingInACoffeeShop

Multi-Step Word Problems Worksheets for Grade 4

Boost Your Development Workflow

Worksheet Preview

What's Included in This Download

What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

Skills Covered

How to Use These Worksheets

Common Mistakes to Watch For

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Worksheets You Might Like

Multi-Digit Multiplication

Long Division

Equivalent Fractions & Comparing

Ready to Get Started?