Carrot

"Carrot" is the common name for a root vegetable whose scientific name is Daucus carota and also the name of a punctuation mark with a similarly pointed shape. Figuratively, a "carrot" is a reward, contrasted to the notion of punishment in the expression "carrot and stick."

Homonyms

• Carat: unit for measuring the weight of precious stones
• Caret: alternate spelling of the name of the punctuation mark (^) sometimes called a "top hat"
• Karat: unit for measuring the percentage of gold in a piece of metal (usually jewelry)