Switching sample of methanol emptied of fruit (5)

I believe the answer is:

melon

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'fruit' is the definition.
(melon is a kind of fruit)

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for melon that I've seen before include "Sweet juicy fruit" , "Type of pepo" , "Honeydew fruit" , "Sweet juicy gourd" , "Large sweet gourd" .)

I've seen this clue in the Irish Times.

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