Yes, it could.

The choice of indefinite article depends on the grammatical gender of the noun:

• Feminine words can be declined as if they were masculine, so you can use either "en" or "ei".
• Masculine words only take "en".
• Neuter words are accompanied by "et".

You're at the mercy of context, as they sound the same.

No. "Eple" is a neuter noun, and "eplet" is the only translation of "the apple."