A handbill is a small printed notice or advertisement that is given to people — usually put into their hands in the street or pushed through a door. It might tell you about a sale, a concert, or a meeting. The bill here is a sheet of paper, the same idea as a playbill, not a bird’s beak and not a bill you pay. Hand means you give it out by hand. Though actually, this is a slightly old-fashioned word; most people now say flyer or leaflet. You will still meet handbill in books and in older or more formal notices.