What does thimble mean?
Word: Thimble
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Thimble means a small hard cap that you wear when you sew, so you can push the needle through cloth.
How do you spell thimble?
Syllables: thim - ble
Tricky part: The end sounds like bul, but it is spelt ble. Children who write what they hear often put thimbel.
Watch out for: thimbel, thimbal
Memory tip: Picture a thimble sitting on a table. The two words finish in the same way.
Thimble in a sentence
Example 1: Grandma wears a silver thimble when she mends my school shirt.
Example 2: My sister's thimble is too big for her small finger.
Example 3: Mum keeps a thimble and some old ribbons in a tin.
Fun Fact
The name grew out of the Old English word for thumb, even though most people now wear one on a different finger.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
th__ble
a) in
b) im
c) um
d) em
Show answer
b) im. The middle sounds just like the word him; thinble, thumble and themble are not words.
Word Champ
Which of the words cannot be made using the letters in the given word?
thimble
a) them
b) belt
c) lime
d) bell
Show answer
d) bell. Bell needs two l's, but the given word has only one.
Jumble Tumble
What is the meaning of the word that can be formed from the given letters?
mtehlib
a) a soft little bag that keeps your coins all together
b) a flat stick that helps you to stir hot food in a pan
c) a long woollen scarf that keeps your neck nice and warm
d) a tiny cover that keeps a fingertip safe from a sharp point
Show answer
d) a tiny cover that keeps a fingertip safe from a sharp point. The seven letters spell the sewing word, and that is the only option about a fingertip.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) butten
b) thread
c) needle
d) thimble
Show answer
a) butten. Button has an o near the end, so butten is the slip.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Who is most likely to use a thimble at work?
a) a tailor
b) a pilot
c) a baker
d) a driver
Show answer
a) a tailor
2. Which of these would you most likely find next to a thimble?
a) a cricket bat
b) a reel of thread
c) a bar of soap
d) a box of chalk
Show answer
b) a reel of thread
