multiplexvsmultiplyTell them apart

Quick tell: multiplex is a adjective, multiply is a verb, so they fill different roles in a sentence.

Which to use

“multiplex” is an adjective and “multiply” is a verb - they look or sound alike but fill different roles in a sentence.

#38,064
“multiplex” frequency rank
#15,006
“multiply” frequency rank
53070
confusion score

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature multiplex multiply
Definition Comprising several interleaved parts. To increase the amount, degree or number of (something).

Letter map: multiplex vs multiply

Shared letters muted; letters that set multiplex and multiply apart highlighted. Shared run: 7.

9 ch
multiplex
8 ch
multiply

Grammar separator: multiplex vs multiply

Our dataset has no pronunciation recorded for both members, so the reliable separator here is grammatical: multiplex is anadjective and multiplyaverb. On the page they differ by 1 letter(s) in length. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 53070, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.

multiplex is recorded at frequency rank #38,064, classified as anadj. multiply is at rank #15,006, tagged as averb, pronounced /ˈmʌltɪplaɪ/.

Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.

With a confusion score of 53070, this pair ranks #151,917 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.

Orthographic DNA of multiplex vs multiply

Shared letters: ilmptu. Private to "multiplex": ex. Private to "multiply": y.

"multiplex" · 9 letters · shape CVCCVCCVC  ·  "multiply" · 8 letters · shape CVCCVCCV

Known mistypes of this pair

  • multiplexmlutiplex · mmultiplex · mulitplex · mulltiplex · multilpex · multipelx · multiplexx · multipllex
  • multiplymlutiply · mmultiply · mulitply · mulltiply · multilpy · multiplly · multiplyy · multipply

Frequently Asked Questions

Can "multiplex" and "multiply" be used interchangeably?
No - they are not even the same part of speech. "multiplex" is an adjective and "multiply" a verb, so a sentence built for one is usually ungrammatical with the other.
In ordinary English text, does "multiplex" or "multiply" show up more?
"multiply" is the more common of the two: it sits at frequency rank #15,006 in our English list, against #38,064 for "multiplex". The two are close in frequency, so neither is a safe default; check the meaning rather than guessing.

What to do next

Pair "multiplex" vs "multiply" is on the table, pick a follow-up below.

  • Full dictionary entry for "multiplex" with definition, IPA, and generated misspellings. Word entry
  • Full dictionary entry for "multiply" - compare definitions side by side with the headword page. Word entry
  • This pair ranks #151,917 of 530,003 scored English confusable pairs in this corpus vintage. Corpus statistics
  • "multiplex" and "multiply" also get mixed up with nearby pairs, the highest-scored neighbour is "multiplex vs multiplier". Nearby pair
  • Recorded mistypes exist for at least one side of this pair, useful when a spell-checker or OCR lands on the wrong form. See mistypes

Confusion rank #151,917 of 530,003 scored English pairs, corpus vintage 2026-09-03, not spelling advice.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list