In this dissertation, I investigate how people navigate ambiguity in everyday speech, with a focus on quantifier-negation sentences. Combining corpus analysis, behavioral experiments, and computational modeling in the Rational Speech Act framework, I explore preferred interpretations of quantifier-negation and examine the contexts and prosodies that shape these interpretations. In particular, to address a knowledge gap on naturalistic ambiguity use, I analyze every-negation uses in two large-scale corpora. I find that certain expectations about the world, made salient in context, predict interpretations; in general, listeners try to align their interpretations with what they already know about the world. I also find that certain pausing and pitch patterns predict interpretations, including the use of pitch to emphasize the quantifier. Altogether, despite the inherent variability in context and prosody, by integrating different methodologies, it is possible to identify specific ways in which context and prosody shape meaning. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]