Vase to get by merit, we hear (3)
I believe the answer is:
urn
'vase' is the definition.
(both can mean a container)
'merit we hear' is the wordplay.
'merit' becomes 'earn' (I've seen this before).
'we hear' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'earn' is a homophone of 'URN'.
'to get by' acts as a link.
This may not be correct. Some or all of it may belong to another bit of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for urn that I've seen before include "Large vessel, for tea perhaps" , "Water vessel" , "Run to get funeral vase" , "Run to get large jar" , "Repository for ashes" .)