Mother mixed clues in for male (9)
I believe the answer is:
masculine
'male' is the definition.
(associated in meaning)
'mother mixed clues in' is the wordplay.
'mother' becomes 'ma' (Ma is another word for mother or mum).
'mixed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'clues'+'in'='cluesin'
'cluesin' with letters rearranged gives 'sculine'.
'ma'+'sculine'='MASCULINE'
'for' is the link.
(Other definitions for masculine that I've seen before include "Calumnies about macho type" , "Calumnies about male equality" , "Butch" , "Possessing qualities of a man" , ""Man" is clue (anag)" .)