diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index 973970b..232d2e7 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func (app *App) handleInp() {
 
 			return
 		}
-		e := app.ui.getExpr()
+		e := app.ui.getExpr(app.nav)
 		if e == nil {
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/comp.go b/comp.go
index 788dc3a..cddd609 100644
--- a/comp.go
+++ b/comp.go
@@ -36,29 +36,26 @@ func matchLongest(s1, s2 string) string {
 	return s1[:i]
 }
 
-func matchWord(s string, words []string) string {
-	var match string
-
+func matchWord(s string, words []string) (matches []string, longest string) {
 	for _, w := range words {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(w, s) {
-			if match != "" {
-				match = matchLongest(match, w)
+			matches = append(matches, w)
+			if longest != "" {
+				longest = matchLongest(longest, w)
 			} else {
-				match = w + " "
+				longest = w + " "
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	if match != "" {
-		return match
+	if longest == "" {
+		longest = s
 	}
 
-	return s
+	return
 }
 
-func matchExec(s string) string {
-	var match string
-
+func matchExec(s string) (matches []string, longest string) {
 	paths := strings.Split(envPath, ":")
 
 	for _, p := range paths {
@@ -81,25 +78,25 @@ func matchExec(s string) string {
 				if !f.Mode().IsRegular() || f.Mode()&0111 == 0 {
 					continue
 				}
-				if match != "" {
-					match = matchLongest(match, f.Name())
+
+				matches = append(matches, f.Name())
+				if longest != "" {
+					longest = matchLongest(longest, f.Name())
 				} else {
-					match = f.Name() + " "
+					longest = f.Name() + " "
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	if match != "" {
-		return match
+	if longest == "" {
+		longest = s
 	}
 
-	return s
+	return
 }
 
-func matchFile(s string) string {
-	var match string
-
+func matchFile(s string) (matches []string, longest string) {
 	wd, err := os.Getwd()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("getting current directory: %s", err)
@@ -112,81 +109,78 @@ func matchFile(s string) string {
 
 	for _, f := range fi {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(f.Name(), s) {
-			if match != "" {
-				match = matchLongest(match, f.Name())
+			matches = append(matches, f.Name())
+			if longest != "" {
+				longest = matchLongest(longest, f.Name())
 			} else {
-				match = f.Name() + " "
+				longest = f.Name() + " "
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
-	if match != "" {
-		return match
+	if longest == "" {
+		longest = s
 	}
 
-	return s
+	return
 }
 
-func compCmd(acc []rune) []rune {
+func compCmd(acc []rune) (matches []string, longestAcc []rune) {
 	if len(acc) == 0 || acc[len(acc)-1] == ' ' {
-		return acc
+		return matches, acc
 	}
 
 	s := string(acc)
 	f := strings.Fields(s)
 
+	var longest string
+
 	switch len(f) {
-	case 0: // do nothing
+	case 0:
+		longestAcc = acc
 	case 1:
 		words := gCmdWords
 		for c, _ := range gOpts.cmds {
 			words = append(words, c)
 		}
-		return []rune(matchWord(s, words))
+		matches, longest = matchWord(s, words)
+		longestAcc = []rune(longest)
 	default:
 		switch f[0] {
 		case "set":
-			opt := matchWord(f[1], gOptWords)
-			ret := []rune(f[0])
-			ret = append(ret, ' ')
-			ret = append(ret, []rune(opt)...)
-			return ret
-		case "map", "cmd": // do nothing
+			matches, longest = matchWord(f[1], gOptWords)
+			longestAcc = append(acc[:len(acc)-len(f[len(f)-1])], []rune(longest)...)
+		case "map", "cmd":
+			longestAcc = acc
 		default:
-			ret := []rune(f[0])
-			ret = append(ret, ' ')
-			for i := 1; i < len(f); i++ {
-				name := matchFile(f[i])
-				ret = append(ret, []rune(name)...)
-			}
-			return ret
+			matches, longest = matchFile(f[len(f)-1])
+			longestAcc = append(acc[:len(acc)-len(f[len(f)-1])], []rune(longest)...)
 		}
 	}
 
-	return acc
+	return
 }
 
-func compShell(acc []rune) []rune {
+func compShell(acc []rune) (matches []string, longestAcc []rune) {
 	if len(acc) == 0 || acc[len(acc)-1] == ' ' {
-		return acc
+		return matches, acc
 	}
 
 	s := string(acc)
 	f := strings.Fields(s)
 
+	var longest string
+
 	switch len(f) {
-	case 0: // do nothing
+	case 0:
+		longestAcc = acc
 	case 1:
-		return []rune(matchExec(s))
+		matches, longest = matchExec(s)
+		longestAcc = []rune(longest)
 	default:
-		ret := []rune(f[0])
-		ret = append(ret, ' ')
-		for i := 1; i < len(f); i++ {
-			name := matchFile(f[i])
-			ret = append(ret, []rune(name)...)
-		}
-		return ret
+		matches, longest = matchFile(f[len(f)-1])
+		longestAcc = append(acc[:len(acc)-len(f[len(f)-1])], []rune(longest)...)
 	}
 
-	return acc
+	return
 }
diff --git a/eval.go b/eval.go
index 5f17039..9c98120 100644
--- a/eval.go
+++ b/eval.go
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ func (e *CallExpr) eval(app *App, args []string) {
 		}
 		app.ui.echoFileInfo(app.nav)
 	case "read":
-		s := app.ui.prompt(":")
+		s := app.ui.prompt(app.nav, ":")
 		if len(s) == 0 {
 			app.ui.echoFileInfo(app.nav)
 			return
@@ -221,24 +221,24 @@ func (e *CallExpr) eval(app *App, args []string) {
 			log.Print(p.err)
 		}
 	case "read-shell":
-		s := app.ui.prompt("$")
+		s := app.ui.prompt(app.nav, "$")
 		log.Printf("shell: %s", s)
 		app.runShell(s, nil, false, false)
 	case "read-shell-wait":
-		s := app.ui.prompt("!")
+		s := app.ui.prompt(app.nav, "!")
 		log.Printf("shell-wait: %s", s)
 		app.runShell(s, nil, true, false)
 	case "read-shell-async":
-		s := app.ui.prompt("&")
+		s := app.ui.prompt(app.nav, "&")
 		log.Printf("shell-async: %s", s)
 		app.runShell(s, nil, false, true)
 	case "search":
-		s := app.ui.prompt("/")
+		s := app.ui.prompt(app.nav, "/")
 		log.Printf("search: %s", s)
 		app.ui.message = "sorry, search is not implemented yet!"
 		// TODO: implement
 	case "search-back":
-		s := app.ui.prompt("?")
+		s := app.ui.prompt(app.nav, "?")
 		log.Printf("search-back: %s", s)
 		app.ui.message = "sorry, search-back is not implemented yet!"
 		// TODO: implement
diff --git a/ui.go b/ui.go
index 13aa7d5..0d672df 100644
--- a/ui.go
+++ b/ui.go
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ func findBinds(keys map[string]Expr, prefix string) (binds map[string]Expr, ok b
 	return
 }
 
-func (ui *UI) getExpr() Expr {
+func (ui *UI) getExpr(nav *Nav) Expr {
 	r := &CallExpr{"redraw", nil}
 
 	var acc []rune
@@ -400,12 +400,14 @@ func (ui *UI) getExpr() Expr {
 				if ok {
 					return gOpts.keys[string(acc)]
 				}
+				ui.draw(nav)
 				ui.listBinds(binds)
 			default:
 				if ok {
 					// TODO: use a delay
 					return gOpts.keys[string(acc)]
 				}
+				ui.draw(nav)
 				ui.listBinds(binds)
 			}
 		case termbox.EventResize:
@@ -416,7 +418,7 @@ func (ui *UI) getExpr() Expr {
 	}
 }
 
-func (ui *UI) prompt(pref string) string {
+func (ui *UI) prompt(nav *Nav, pref string) string {
 	fg, bg := termbox.ColorDefault, termbox.ColorDefault
 
 	win := ui.msgwin
@@ -448,10 +450,15 @@ func (ui *UI) prompt(pref string) string {
 					termbox.Flush()
 					return string(acc)
 				case termbox.KeyTab:
+					var matches []string
 					if pref == ":" {
-						acc = compCmd(acc)
+						matches, acc = compCmd(acc)
 					} else {
-						acc = compShell(acc)
+						matches, acc = compShell(acc)
+					}
+					ui.draw(nav)
+					if len(matches) > 1 {
+						ui.listMatches(matches)
 					}
 				case termbox.KeyEsc:
 					return ""
@@ -492,17 +499,7 @@ func (ui *UI) sync() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (ui *UI) listBinds(binds map[string]Expr) {
-	t := new(tabwriter.Writer)
-	b := new(bytes.Buffer)
-
-	t.Init(b, 0, 8, 0, '\t', 0)
-	fmt.Fprintln(t, "keys\tcommand")
-	for key, expr := range binds {
-		fmt.Fprintf(t, "%s\t%v\n", key, expr)
-	}
-	t.Flush()
-
+func (ui *UI) showMenu(b *bytes.Buffer) {
 	lines := strings.Split(b.String(), "\n")
 
 	lines = lines[:len(lines)-1]
@@ -512,8 +509,47 @@ func (ui *UI) listBinds(binds map[string]Expr) {
 
 	ui.menuwin.printl(0, 0, termbox.AttrBold, termbox.AttrBold, lines[0])
 	for i, line := range lines[1:] {
-		ui.menuwin.printl(0, i+1, termbox.ColorDefault, termbox.ColorDefault, line)
+		ui.menuwin.printl(0, i+1, termbox.ColorDefault, termbox.ColorDefault, "")
+		ui.menuwin.print(0, i+1, termbox.ColorDefault, termbox.ColorDefault, line)
 	}
 
 	termbox.Flush()
 }
+
+func (ui *UI) listBinds(binds map[string]Expr) {
+	t := new(tabwriter.Writer)
+	b := new(bytes.Buffer)
+
+	t.Init(b, 0, gOpts.tabstop, 2, '\t', 0)
+	fmt.Fprintln(t, "keys\tcommand")
+	for key, expr := range binds {
+		fmt.Fprintf(t, "%s\t%v\n", key, expr)
+	}
+	t.Flush()
+
+	ui.showMenu(b)
+}
+
+func (ui *UI) listMatches(matches []string) {
+	b := new(bytes.Buffer)
+
+	wtot, _ := termbox.Size()
+
+	wcol := 0
+	for _, m := range matches {
+		wcol = max(wcol, len(m))
+	}
+	wcol += gOpts.tabstop - wcol%gOpts.tabstop
+
+	ncol := wtot / wcol
+
+	b.WriteString("possible matches\n")
+	for i := 0; i < len(matches); i++ {
+		for j := 0; j < ncol && i < len(matches); i, j = i+1, j+1 {
+			b.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%s%*s", matches[i], wcol-len(matches[i]), ""))
+		}
+		b.WriteByte('\n')
+	}
+
+	ui.showMenu(b)
+}