Handle sheep it's said (3)
I believe the answer is:
use
'handle' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'sheep it's said' is the wordplay.
'sheep' becomes 'ewes' (a ewe is a female sheep).
'it's said' indicates a 'sounds like' (homophone) clue.
'ewes' is a homophone of 'USE'.
(Other definitions for use that I've seen before include "Exploit; custom" , "Employment; utilise" , "Operate" , "Function, purpose" , "Employ - advantage" .)