Tell apart aims with indirect shot (12)
I believe the answer is:
discriminate
'tell apart' is the definition.
(discriminating is a kind of telling apart)
'aims with indirect shot' is the wordplay.
'with' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'shot' indicates an anagram.
'aims' after 'indirect' is 'indirectaims'.
'indirectaims' with letters rearranged gives 'DISCRIMINATE'.
(Other definitions for discriminate that I've seen before include "Single out" , "Show taste" , "Use taste and judgment (or prejudice)" , "Perceive the difference - show prejudice" , "to show bias" .)