I don't understand this part of grammar! Could you help me?

Question

These concepts don't exist in Spanish, so it's really hard to me to figure them out without making mistakes. Sometimes you use a gerund of a word that has already a noun as a noun too. Why? What are the difference of meaning they have? Could you explain it? I'll be so grateful, thanks!

1) Housing works and House works

2) Sport Club and sporting club.

3) Dressing room and dress room.

4) Clothes area and clothing area.

5) Studying area and study area

Answer 1

gerunds are not used in noun + noun structure

noun + noun structure works as = adjective + noun

in such structure the most important is quality:

morning paper = what paper?

table tennis = what tennis?

department store = what store?

it's like a noun almost turns to an adjective

however

gerund is a verb turned into a noun

reading. I like (what?)

listening. I should practice (what?)

however it's easy to confuse it with present participle

A boy, reading a book, is my brother.

I saw a dancing dog in the circus.

now look at your phrases:

1) Housing works and House works

-- actually it's one word, not two = housework

2) Sport Club and sporting club.

-- sport club = n + n structure

3) Dressing room and dress room.

-- any "rooms" follow "-ing" form = living room, dining room, sitting room etc

4) Clothes area and clothing area.

and

5) Studying area and study area

neither of these variants are possible in English because they don't collocate with area it can be

4 a cloak room = n + n

5 a classroom or a study

Answer 2

1) Housework is the only correct term.  Housing refers to the building, the shelter; House can refer to either the building or the live that occurs inside that building.

2) "Sports club" would be more accurate, as in "a club where sports are played". However, in America, the phrase "health club" or "gym" is more common.

3) "Dressing room" is correct - the room where the action of dressing occurs.

4) Clothing area is vague, most English speakers might not understand what you are referring to.

5) Study area - the place where you study.  

Sorry, there is no obvious rule about when to use the verb and when to use the noun as the modifying adjective.  It's mostly a matter of custom.