Place like Massachusetts could be gas (6)
I believe the answer is:
plasma
'be gas' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Ionised gas' mean 'plasma' so perhaps 'gas' could also mean 'plasma')
'place like massachusetts' is the wordplay.
'place' becomes 'pl' (I've seen this in other clues).
'like' becomes 'as'.
'massachusetts' becomes 'ma'.
'pl'+'as'+'ma'='PLASMA'
'could' is the link.
(Other definitions for plasma that I've seen before include "element of transfusion" , "Hot ionised gas" , "Component of TV screen" , "A psalm (anag.)" , "Colourless watery fluid of the blood" .)