Sensational way to get a bit of lunch free (5)
I believe the answer is:
lurid
'sensational' is the definition.
(similar in meaning)
'way to get a bit of lunch free' is the wordplay.
'way' becomes 'L' (abbreviation for left).
'to get' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'a bit of lunch' becomes 'u' (I can't explain this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'free' becomes 'rid' (to be free of something is to be rid of it).
'l'+'u'+'rid'='LURID'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for lurid that I've seen before include "Unpleasantly vivid in colour" , "Melodramatically sensational" , "Gloomily threatening" , "Glaringly bright" , "Shocking, sensational" .)