crank handle vs crank

crank handle and crank both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
crank handle	Yes	No	No	No
crank	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

As nouns, crank is a hypernym of crank handle; that is, crank is a word with a broader meaning than crank handle:

Other hypernyms of crank handle include starter.

crank handle (noun)	crank (noun)
crank used to start an engine	a hand tool consisting of a rotating shaft with parallel handle
	an amphetamine derivative (trade name Methedrine) used in the form of a crystalline hydrochloride; used as a stimulant to the nervous system and as an appetite suppressant
	a bad-tempered person
	a whimsically eccentric person

crank handle (adjective)	crank (adjective)
	(used of boats) inclined to heel over easily under sail