Filed from 4 published puzzles

ABALONES

Set to 4 different clues across 4 published puzzles, most often “Sea-ears” — The New York Times, Sunday, 5 December 1999.

8 letters

Every clue on record, most used first

Sea-earsonce
The New York Times — Sunday, 5 December 1999
Nacre sourcesonce
The New York Times — Thursday, 11 February 1999
Button sourcesonce
The New York Times — Sunday, 7 June 1998
Tasty mollusksonce
The New York Times — Friday, 31 March 1995