joke vs puniness

joke and puniness both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
joke	Yes	No	Yes	No
puniness	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, puniness is a hypernym of joke; that is, puniness is a word with a broader meaning than joke:

Other hypernyms of joke include pettiness, slightness, triviality.

joke (noun)	puniness (noun)
a ludicrous or grotesque act done for fun and amusement	smallness of stature
activity characterized by good humor	the quality of being unimportant and petty or frivolous
a triviality not to be taken seriously
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter

joke (verb)	puniness (verb)
act in a funny or teasing way
tell a joke; speak humorously