1. A raised heap of earth or other material: This is the most common meaning. It can refer to:
* A natural hill: This is often called a knoll or hump.
* An artificial hill: This could be a grave mound, a fortress mound, or a sports field mound.
2. A pile or heap of something: This can refer to:
* A pile of dirt or sand: This could be a sand mound or a soil mound.
* A heap of something else: This could be a mound of laundry, a mound of books, or a mound of food.
3. A type of prehistoric burial: This refers to a large mound of earth covering a burial chamber.
4. (Sports) A raised area of earth: This is often found in baseball, softball, and cricket.
Here are some examples of how "mound" is used:
* "The children built a sand mound on the beach."
* "The ancient city was protected by a large mound.
* "The pitcher threw the ball from the mound."
* "She piled her dirty clothes into a mound on the floor."
* "The archaeologists discovered a mound that contained ancient artifacts."
The specific meaning of "mound" will be clear from the context in which it is used.