Mean to study broken toe (6)
I believe the answer is:
denote
'mean' is the definition.
(denoting is a kind of meaning)
'study broken toe' is the wordplay.
'study' becomes 'den' (term for a study or office).
'broken' indicates anagramming the letters.
'toe' anagrammed gives 'ote'.
'den'+'ote'='DENOTE'
'to' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for denote that I've seen before include "show" , "Indicate, signify" , "Indicate, be a sign of" , "Designate" , "Need to (anag) - indicate" .)