Fastening plates differently (6)
I believe the answer is:
staple
'fastening' is the definition.
(staple is a kind of fastening)
'plates differently' is the wordplay.
'differently' indicates an anagram.
'plates' with letters rearranged gives 'STAPLE'.
(Other definitions for staple that I've seen before include "Basic element" , "The food one normally eats" , "Paper-fastening device" , "One securing hasp; principal" , "Basic commodity and paper fastener" .)