Miscommunication or by choice?

Sometimes people misconstrue what you say or do. It just goes to show that we see and understand what we want to. Isn't it? Or is it due to miscommunication or in the case of a chinese whisper game, mishearing something? I find that it is so easy for us to misconstrue something said or done. If only we take the time to truly understand and ask that person what we understood is correct rather than saying something behind that person's back or hinting about it to someone else or on FB. So much pain can be reduced! So is misconstruing something by choice or is it due to miscommunication?