Sentence:  Most people are familiar with the age-old superstition that witches fly on <WSD>broomsticks</WSD> to their covens (though they were formerly also reputed to use shovels, cleft sticks, eggshells, ANIMALS and other means of flight). 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a broom imbued with magic, enabling one to fly astride the handle.