joke vs leg-pulling

joke and leg-pulling both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
joke	Yes	No	Yes	No
leg-pulling	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, leg-pulling is a hyponym of joke; that is, leg-pulling is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than joke:

joke: activity characterized by good humor
leg-pulling: as a joke: trying to make somebody believe something that is not true

Other hyponyms of joke include drollery, waggery, leg-pull, pleasantry.

joke (noun)	leg-pulling (noun)
a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement	as a joke: trying to make somebody believe something that is not true
activity characterized by good humor
a triviality not to be taken seriously
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

joke (verb)	leg-pulling (verb)
act in a funny or teasing way
tell a joke; speak humorously