What does meddle mean?
Word: Meddle
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Meddle means to get involved in something that is not your business, or to touch and change something you should leave alone.
Synonyms: tamper
Sounds like: medal (a small metal disc given as an award)
How do you spell meddle?
Syllables: med - dle
Tricky part: Students often write medle with one d. The short e sound needs a double d after it.
Watch out for: medle, meadle
Memory tip: Picture two noses poking into a matter that is not theirs: two noses, two d's.
Meddle in a sentence
Example 1: My grandmother told us not to meddle with the old clock in her room.
Example 2: Our cat loves to meddle with the wool in Nani's knitting basket.
Example 3: It is best not to meddle with the settings on the class computer.
Fun Fact
Meddle comes from an old French word meaning to mix, and medley, a mix of songs or things, comes from the same French family of words.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word:
meddle
a) ignore
b) assist
c) withdraw
d) interfere
Show answer
d) interfere. To assist is to help when wanted, and to ignore or withdraw is to stay out, which is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Please do not meddel with the science project while the glue is still drying.
a) drying
b) project
c) science
d) meddel
Show answer
d) meddel. The verb ends in -le, as fiddle and settle do.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) meddle
b) interrupt
c) introod
d) disturb
Show answer
c) introod. Intrude ends in -ude, the same ending as include.
Word Makeup
Choose the suffix that completes the word:
meddle____
a) sum
b) sume
c) som
d) some
Show answer
d) some. The ending is the same -some found in troublesome and handsome.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which person is meddling?
a) a coach who corrects your batting at nets
b) a teacher who checks the class homework
c) a friend who lends a pen when asked
d) a cousin who rearranges your desk uninvited
Show answer
d) a cousin who rearranges your desk uninvited
2. If Dad says, 'Don't meddle with the TV remote settings', he wants you to ____.
a) clean them gently
b) keep your hands off them
c) fix them quickly
d) write them down
Show answer
b) keep your hands off them
