Sprouts
A sprout is a small growth on a plant — a little new bud. Other things can sprout too: kids are constantly sprouting (growing). The key thing to think of when you're trying to remember the meaning of sprout is growth — as a noun, a sprout is a new growth of a plant, and as a verb, to sprout means to grow.
In cooking, a sprout is a bud of a young plant that you eat. In the photo above, those small white bumps on top of the artichoke are newly formed sprouts — the leaves and stem have already begun to grow inside them. It's also possible to buy seeds that have been sprouted. When they've been sprouted, they're fresh and crisp and full of nutrients.
Do you like sprouts on your sandwiches? If so, save this seed for planting to grow your own garden. (new growths of plants)
If you want to sprout the seeds you found in that package of sprouted grain bread, put them in water overnight. When they've soaked up enough moisture, they should start growing. (grow into plants) The sprouts are tiny! The seeds have not yet fully sprouted.
A cucumber can have a small green bump of a sprout. It's the same thing as the thing that allows you to see if your potatoes are growing eyes, but it just sounds better when we call it a sprout.
You can sprout some legumes, too. You may have done this if you've ever planted peas in the ground, seen them spring up (grow), and grow big leaves. Because legumes like peas are full of protein (a nutrient), they make healthy "sprouts."
When a bud on a plant first opens up to turn into another leaf or flower, it's called sprouting. So if you're hanging out in your garden and see that the buds on your stalks are opening up, then they're sprouting.
If you're trying to remember the difference between sprout and shoot, keep in mind that a sprout is on a plant and grows out of the ground. When you grow things in your garden — like beans or peas — they "sprout" because their seeds germinate (grow) and they come up from the soil above the ground.