Opposite Intent

A contronym is a word with two opposite (contradictory) meanings. The words can be homonyms (words with similar spelling or pronunciation) or antonyms (words with opposite meaning). Some examples: 

• Bill: A payment, or an invoice for payment
• Bolt: To secure, or to flee 
• Bound: Heading to a destination, or restrained from movement 
• Consult: To offer advice, or to obtain it 
• Custom: A common practice, or a special treatment 
• Dust: To add fine particles, or to remove them  
• Finished: Completed, or ended or destroyed 
• First degree: Most severe in the case of a murder charge, or least severe in reference to a burn 
• Garnish: To furnish, as with food preparation, or to take away, as with wages 
• Give out: To provide, or to stop because of a lack of supply 
• Handicap: An advantage provided to ensure equality, or a disadvantage that prevents equal achievement 
• Hold up: To support, or to impede 
• Left: Remained, or departed 
• Model: An exemplar, or a copy 
• Out: Visible, as with stars showing in the sky, or invisible, in reference to lights 
• Overlook: To supervise, or to neglect 
• Oversight: Monitoring, or failing to oversee 
• Peer: A person of the nobility, or an equal 
• Put out: Extinguish, or generate 
• Puzzle: A problem, or to solve one 
• Quantum: Significantly large, or a minuscule part 
• Refrain: To desist from doing something, or to repeat 
• Rent: To purchase use of something, or to sell use 
• Sanction: To approve, or to boycott 
• Scan: To peruse, or to glance 
• Screen: To present, or to conceal 
• Skinned: Covered with skin, or with the skin removed 
• Splice: To join, or to separate 
• Temper: To soften, or to strengthen 
• Throw out: To dispose of, or to present for consideration 
• Transparent: Invisible, or obvious 
• Trim: To decorate, or to remove excess from 
• Trip: A journey, or a stumble 
• Unbending: Rigid, or relaxing 
• Variety: A particular type, or many types 
• Wear: To endure, or to deteriorate 
• Weather: To withstand, or to wear away 
• Wind up: To end, or to start up

Can you think of any others? 

Five years ago: Adventure Is Where You Find It