Professes to have numerous objectives (6)
I believe the answer is:
claims
'professes' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both to do with communicating as well as being verbs in their -s form.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'numerous objectives' is the wordplay.
'numerous' becomes 'cl' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should believe this answer much more).
'objectives' becomes 'aims' ('aim' can be a synonym of 'objective').
'cl'+'aims'='CLAIMS'
'to have' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for claims that I've seen before include "Asserts as a fact" , "'Asserts, avers (6)'" , "Declares that one is the owner of something" , "States that something is the case" , "Assertions of ownership" .)