A medal is a metal disc awarded as a prize, while to meddle is to interfere where you are not wanted. Memory hook: a medal is something you win, and meddling is an action that annoys people, as in Stop meddling in your sister's marriage.
The core difference
Medal is a noun for an award, while meddle is a verb meaning to interfere in something that is not your concern.
- medal — a flat metal disc given as a prize or honour: She won a gold medal in the 200-metre sprint.
- meddle — to interfere in matters that are not your concern: Stop meddling in your sister's marriage.
How to tell them apart
The two words sound almost identical in many accents, which is why they get swapped in writing. The quickest test is grammar. If you need a thing you can hold or win, you want medal. If you need an action that annoys other people, you want meddle.
The mix-up usually shows up in sentences about interference, such as "he kept medaling in our affairs". Ask yourself whether anyone is being given a prize. If not, the word is meddle. Note that medal can also be used as a verb meaning to win a medal, as in The gymnast medaled in three separate events, but that has nothing to do with interfering.
