Dangling top is right up on the first pole and causes confusion (8)
I believe the answer is:
disrupts
'causes confusion' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'dangling top is right up on the first pole' is the wordplay.
'top' suggests taking the first letters.
'right up' becomes 'ruts' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'on' is an insertion indicator (as in clothing 'on' a person).
'the first pole' becomes 'p' (rst letter of 'pole').
The first letter of 'dangling' is 'd'.
'ruts' going around 'p' is 'rupts'.
'd'+'is'+'rupts'='DISRUPTS'
'and' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for disrupts that I've seen before include "Sabotages, disturbs" , "Throws into disorder" , "Disturbs, unsettles" , "Disturbs the order or progress" .)