Words that are Both Nouns and Verbs

Can a verb also be a noun? The short answer is: yes.

As we know a noun is a word that names things, such as persons, places and things, as well as feelings, ideas and acts. We also know that verbs are action words. We use verbs to describe what nouns do.  So how can a verb also be a noun.

Let’s take a look at an example:

The word: play.

I like to play in the park with my friends.
Play is a verb in this sentence.

We’re going to see a play tonight at the theater.
Play is a noun in this sentence.

There are lots of words that can be both a noun and a verb. Here are some:

• Bait
• Love
• Peel
• Bowl
• Exit
• Fly
• Park
• Ship

We’ve created some worksheets in our grade 3 grammar section for students to practice writing sentences with words that are both nouns and verbs.

For further practice, we also have worksheets on identifying nouns, verbs and adjectives in sentences.