2nd grade subtraction word problems worksheets

In second grade the stories move to two-digit numbers, so subtraction word problems start to need regrouping. One step per problem, per 2.OA.A.1: your child decides whether the story is a take away or a compare, writes the equation, and borrows a ten when the ones come up short.

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core 2.OA.A.1.

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The kind of problems you'll get

Read each problem. Show your work and write the answer.

  1. Jamal completed 8 skips. Rosa completed 4 skips. How many more skips did Jamal complete?

    Answer: 4

  2. Lucy 's box had 89 napkins. The picnic used 42 napkins. How many napkins are left in the box?

    Answer: 47

  3. Hana placed 23 books on a cart. After Omar moved some books, 20 books were still on the cart. How many books did Omar move?

    Answer: 3

Every print pulls a fresh set of problems at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling never gets the same sheet.

What's on each sheet

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key after the problems.

How to teach this

The compare problems deserve the most attention here, because 'how many more' trips kids who read one word and add. Have your child restate each story before choosing a sign. For the two-digit ones, the work space is the place to stack the numbers and regroup on paper, and a quick add-back check catches most slips: the answer plus what was taken should rebuild the starting amount.

Watch for: 'How many more' sounds like adding, so kids add the two amounts in compare problems. Line the amounts up as two rows of counters and ask what the extra part of the longer row shows. Kids subtract the small digit from the big one in each column, so 52 - 18 becomes 46. Have them check by adding back: 46 + 18 gives 64, not 52, so something slipped. Kids answer with the number that went away instead of what is left. Have them point at the exact words the question asks about before writing anything.

Common questions about subtraction word problems

Why does my 2nd grader add when a problem says 'more'?
Because keyword habits backfire on compare problems. 'How many more' asks for a difference. Have them retell the story before picking the operation, and the word loses its pull.
Do these problems need borrowing?
Some do. Two-digit stories are the second grade step, so a problem like 52 - 18 asks for a regroup. The answer key shows the full equation, which makes column slips easy to spot.

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Aligned to Common Core 2.OA.A.1. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 240, updated September 2026.

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