[thaumasiotes]

Context will make the difference. If you say "grab a handful of apples", no one will believe you meant to say it, because that doesn't make any sense.

"There are a handful of apples" is a different usage, which people will accept.

[jmkb]

Well maybe. I've literally grabbed handfuls of wild apples, about the size of ping-pong balls.

(Maybe better described as feral apples? Old orchards with trees unpruned for decades.)

[staunch]

FYI: anyone eating wild apples should take care to avoid "beach apples" cause they're highly toxic.

https://www.google.com/search?q=beach+apple&source=lnms&tbm=...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchineel