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Seaweed penetrates a small distance as filler (7)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

amalgam

I'm a little stuck... Click here to teach me more about this clue!

'filler' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both substances as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe there's a link between them I don't understand?

'seaweed penetrates a small distance' is the wordplay.
'seaweed' becomes 'alga' (singular form of 'algae').
'penetrates' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'small distance' becomes 'mm' (abbreviation for millimetre).
'a'+'mm'='amm'
'alga' placed within 'amm' is 'AMALGAM'.

'as' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for amalgam that I've seen before include "mercurial combination" , "mix" , "Mixture/blend" , "Blend or combination" , "Compound" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Mail.
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