The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word TAXABLE
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
T
A
X
A
B
L
E
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "providing revenue for the government" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case providing revenue for the government = taxable.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does TAXABLE mean?
TAXABLE noun- Something on which tax must be paid.
- Subject to taxation.