Sentence:  the big sloop <WSD>led</WSD> the fleet of yachts;  the Guards <WSD>led</WSD> the attack;  Demosthenes <WSD>leads</WSD> the orators of all ages 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To go or to be in advance of; to precede; hence, to be foremost or chief among.