Picture that is used to bind publication (5)
I believe the answer is:
image
'picture' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'that is used to bind publication' is the wordplay.
'that is' becomes 'ie' (synonyms).
'used to bind' means one lot of letters goes inside another (bind can mean to cover or contain).
'publication' becomes 'mag' (abbreviation for magazine).
'ie' placed around 'mag' is 'IMAGE'.
(Other definitions for image that I've seen before include "Purplish pigment; pool" , "Photo or likeness" , "Public persona" , "Pictorial representation" , "Visual or mental representation" .)