Sentence:  For Athabascan , with a greater range of stems , the first two of five corresponding columns <WSD>were</WSD> identical , 1 and 2 stems ; the three others had to be spread somewhat , and are headed respectively * * f ; * * f ; and * * f stems . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun)