[Image credit: Suat Eman]

Taken out of context I must seem so strange.
~ Ani DiFranco

While lying in bed one Sunday morning, I felt figuratively crushed by the weight of the covers.  As my mind started to wake up, I began ruminating on the word “crush” and how it means different things in different contexts.  In the case of my comforter, I felt bound as it pressed against me.   When you have a crush on a person, it means you possess a burning desire to be with someone who you find very attractive and extremely special.  When you’re crushed by a friend’s hurtful words, you may feel broken, distressed.  Many words in the English language offer juxtapositions like this one.  And some words sound the same but are spelled differently (see Grammar Lesson #18).  It’s easy to take a meaning out of context, however.  Just be careful to allow the time to make your message clear with related clues.

What is a common word you use in all its myriad meanings?