* Verb: This is the most common usage. It means to create something, usually written or musical. For example: "She composed a beautiful poem."
* Adjective: This is less common, but "compose" can be used as an adjective meaning "calm, tranquil, or serene." For example: "The room was filled with a compose atmosphere."
To determine the part of speech, you need to look at the context in which the word is used.