ball and globe share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. ball means “round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games”. globe means “the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on”. ball is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbɔl/
1.n.round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games
“the ball travelled 90 mph on his serve”
2.n.a solid projectile that is shot by a musket
“they had to carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball”
3.n.an object with a spherical shape
“a ball of fire”
/ˈɡloʊb/
1.n.the 3rd planet from the sun; the planet we live on
“the Earth moves around the sun”
2.n.an object with a spherical shape
“a ball of fire”
3.n.a sphere on which a map (especially of the earth) is represented
| ball | globe | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbɔl/ | /ˈɡloʊb/ |
| Said | bawl | glohb |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun |
| Senses | 13 | 3 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | none recorded | Earth, earth, world |
Full entry for ball · Full entry for globe · More comparisons