THE IDIOM COLLECTION LEARN & PRACTISE
Kill two birds with one stone
Understand the meaning. See it in context. Make it yours.
01 / UNDERSTAND
Meaning in plain English
To achieve two things at the same time with a single effort.
Usage note: keep in mind
Use this idiom when one action achieves two separate goals. It is figurative; no animals are involved. The goals should be clear to the listener. A plain alternative is achieve two things at once, which suits more formal writing.
02 / SEE IT IN CONTEXT
The expression in a sentence
- By cycling to work, she kills two birds with one stone—she saves money and gets exercise.
03 / CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING
Quick idiom quiz
Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.
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Can you recall the expression?
Which expression from this lesson matches this meaning?
To achieve two things at the same time with a single effort.
Show the answer
Kill two birds with one stone — To achieve two things at the same time with a single effort.
Try your own sentence (optional)
Make it yours
Write one sentence using “Kill two birds with one stone” about your own life.
Check your sentence
Does your sentence match this meaning?
To achieve two things at the same time with a single effort.
Compare: By cycling to work, she kills two birds with one stone—she saves money and gets exercise.
Check the spelling and how the expression fits the sentence. Your example can be different.
Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.
This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.
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More ways to understand and use it
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More examples in context
- Walking to the library killed two birds with one stone: I returned my books and got some exercise.
- We practised English while preparing the presentation, killing two birds with one stone.
Check your understanding
A learner reads an English recipe while cooking dinner. Name the two goals that make the expression fit.
Check your answer
Practising English and preparing a meal. Both result from the same activity, rather than two unrelated actions performed separately.
Use it in your own words
Write one new situation where kill two birds with one stone fits. Explain the situation in plain English first, then rewrite it using the expression. Check that the tone and meaning suit your audience.