BACKWARD

You can do it at home to get yourself clean,

You can do it to fabric to stop being seen;

You can do it when with an answer you're short,

You can do it when you are equal in sport.

You can do it to make images,

Of course that's true - but then

You can do all of the above

Without pencil or pen.

HINT:

The title is a clue.

Answer:

DRAW (Back WARD) ........ Draw a bath, draw curtains, draw a blank, draw (tie), as in a game of chess.