bowing vs playing

bowing and playing both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
bowing	Yes	Yes	No	No
playing	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, playing is a hypernym of bowing; that is, playing is a word with a broader meaning than bowing:

bowing (noun)	playing (noun)
managing the bow in playing a stringed instrument	the action of taking part in a game or sport or other recreation
bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting	the act of playing a musical instrument
	the performance of a part or role in a drama

bowing (adjective)	playing (adjective)
showing an excessively deferential manner