Multiplication Teaching Resources
Teach multiplication with ease this school year with free printable multiplication worksheets, digital activities, games and more to help students understand how to multiply numbers and apply multiplication strategies to math problems.
This teaching resource collection was created by the teachers on the Teach Starter team for elementary teachers, and each curriculum-aligned resource has been carefully reviewed and curated to ensure it's ready to use with your students!
Explore multiplication charts and tables, methods for explaining the associative and commutative properties and more, plus find differentiated resources to help you meet each student's needs!
Want to learn more about multiplication? Read on for a primer from our teacher team!
What Is Multiplication? A Kid-Friendly Definition
Introducing multiplication to your class? Let's get started with a definition of this math operation that's easy for them to understand.
Multiplication is the process of adding a number to itself many times. It's a simple way to figure out how much you'll have when you add the same number again and again.
Let's look at an example.
Pretend you have 3 apples, and you want to multiply them by 4.
If you did this, you would end up with 12 apples because you added 3 apples to itself four times (3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12).
Multiplication Terms
Launching into multiplication in your math class involves plenty of new vocabulary words for your students to learn! Here are some of the terms you will want to start off with.
Product
The product of a multiplication problem is the result of multiplying two or more numbers together. It's basically the answer to your math problem!
Partial Product
If the product is the answer, what's a partial product? This is the name of each product when you break apart the factors and multiply the parts in a multi-digit number. While there are many ways to solve multiplication problems with partial products, the box method is a common strategy to help students break apart each factor before multiplying.
Factor
In multiplication, the factor is the number that is being multiplied by another number to get a product. For example, in the problem 3 x 4 = 12, the numbers 3 and 4 are factors, and the product is 12.
Multiplication Table
Sometimes called a times table, a multiplication table that shows the products of all the possible combinations of two numbers.
What Is the Associative Property of Multiplication?
The associative property of multiplication means we can change the grouping of the factors being multiplied, and it won't change the product. For example:
- (2 x 3) x 4 = 2 x (3 x 4) = 24
No matter how we group the factors being multiplied, the product will always be the same!
A cartoon version of the multiplication symbol
What Is the Commutative Property of Multiplication?
The commutative property of multiplication means we can change the order of the multiplied factors without changing the product. For example:
- 3 x 4 = 4 x 3 = 12
This means we can multiply the factors in any order we like and still get the same result!
What Is the Distributive Property of Multiplication?
Another property of multiplication students learn in elementary school is distributive. This means we can distribute a factor across the sum or difference of two other factors.
This property is handy when we want to break down a more complicated multiplication problem.
Let's look at an example:
- 4 x (3 + 2)
We can use the Distributive Property to rewrite this expression as:
- (4 x 3) + (4 x 2)
Now we can simplify each of these products separately:
- 12 + 8 = 20
Using the distributive property, we can figure out that the original problem 4 x (3 + 2) — is equivalent to 20.
What Is the Identity Property of Multiplication?
The identity property of multiplication lets you simplify multiplication problems involving the number 1. When we multiply any number by 1, the product is the same as the original number!
Let's say we have the problem 5 x 1. When we apply the identity property, we know that the product of 5 and 1 is 5 itself, since 1 is the multiplicative identity!
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Roll It! Operations Game
Use this fun game to practice all four operations and/or order of operations.
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Multiplication Fact Charts - Student Sized (4 per page)
Help your students master multiplication facts with printable Mini-Multiplication Charts for multiplying numbers by 1-12.
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Multiplication as Repeated Addition Worksheet Pack
Strengthen student understanding of multiplication and repeated addition with this worksheet pack designed for 3rd grade students.
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Group It Many Ways – Multiplication Activity
Promote hands-on learning with this activity, where students will practice making equal groups to represent multiplication.
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Problem Solving - Multiplication and Division Worksheet
Practice solving word problems using one-step division and multiplication.
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Multiplication Fact Fluency System (Facts 0-12)
Implement this multiplication fact fluency system to help your students master their multiplication facts from 0 to 12!
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Multiplication Chart
Print a handy multiplication chart for your students — it's free for teachers!
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Math Bowl - Mixed Operations Word Problem Game
Score a mathematical touchdown with by solving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division word problems with an exciting football math game.
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Valentine's Mystery Picture - Multiplication Color By Number Worksheet
Have fun with your Valentine’s Day Math practice with a multiplication mystery picture worksheet.
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Fill the Grid Active Game
An active game that allows students to practice their multiplication facts.
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Desk-Sized Multiplication Charts for Students
Download 4 desk-size multiplication charts so every student can keep their own chart handy!
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Color by Number – Repeated Addition and Multiplication
Guide your students to connect repeated addition with multiplication by completing this color-by-code multiplication worksheet.
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5th Grade Math Review – Test Prep Packet
Encourage your students to work through 8 pages of 5th-grade math problems while charting their progress to measure their success.
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Color by Number – Multiplication Fact Practice (Mixed)
Practice multiplication facts through 12 with this fun color by number worksheet.
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Mathematics Vocabulary Posters
A teaching resource to help students identify the associated vocabulary for mathematical operations.
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Number Talks – Multiplication Strategies Task Cards
Help your students build number sense skills and sharpen their understanding of how to multiply 2 digits by 1 digit with this set of 24 task cards.
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Array Match-Up Activity for 3rd Grade
Challenge your students to create sets of arrays, multiplication facts and products with this matching game for 3rd grade.
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Mixed Operations Minute Math Booklet (Lower-Level Version)
Jump into your math lessons with this ten-page mental math booklet covering the four operations and number patterns.
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Multiplication and Division Minute Math Booklet
Warm-up (or assess) with this 10-page booklet of multiplication and division drills.
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Multiplication and Division Worksheets – Facts of 6
A set of worksheets to help students develop fast and accurate recall of the facts of 6.
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2-Digit by 1-Digit Multiplication Worksheet
A worksheet for students to practice multiplying 2-digit numbers by 1-digit.
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Multiplication and Division - Which Operation Is It? – Interactive PowerPoint
An interactive 64-slide PowerPoint to use when learning to solve multiplication and division word problems.
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Equal Groups Multiplication Worksheets
Reinforce how to relate equal group models and multiplication with this printable worksheet pack.
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Area Model Multiplication Worksheets
Guide your students to use the area model when solving multi-digit multiplication problems with this 20-page worksheet pack.
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Number Talks – Multiplication Representation Task Cards
Help your students discover different ways to represent multiplication with this set of number talk cards.
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Large Multiplication Chart (Blank)
Use this 4-page blank multiplication chart to teach your students about finding products, multiples and number patterns.
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Hooray Arrays! Multiplication Worksheet Pack
Download this set of array worksheets to use when teaching your students how to relate addition and multiplication.
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Skip Counting and Multiplication Differentiated Worksheets
Use this differentiated worksheet set to provide independent practice using skip counting to solve multiplication expressions.
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The Case of the Missing Football – Estimating Products Escape Activity for 4th Grade
Uncover the identity of the thief who stole the football with a printable estimating products escape room activity.
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Multiplication Color By Number Worksheet Pack
Use this set of multiplication color-by-number worksheets to help your students learn these important number facts.
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2-Digit Multiplication Tarsia Puzzle — Basketball-Themed
Practice multiplying two-digit by two-digit numbers with a basketball-themed tarsia puzzle for 4th or 5th grade.
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5th Grade Whole Number Operations Assessment
Asses student understanding of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers with this math assessment.