diff -r 07a6d4c30c4e Lib/idlelib/CallTips.py
--- a/Lib/idlelib/CallTips.py	Mon Dec 09 01:59:07 2013 +0100
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/CallTips.py	Mon Dec 09 16:47:19 2013 +0200
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@
             # exception, especially if user classes are involved.
             return None
 
+_MAXARGSPECLINES = 10
+_MAXARGSPECCOLS = 70
+
 # The following are used in both get_argspec and tests
 _first_param = re.compile('(?<=\()\w*\,?\s*')
 _default_callable_argspec = "No docstring, see docs."
@@ -125,8 +128,9 @@
 
     For Python-coded functions and methods, the first line is introspected.
     Delete 'self' parameter for classes (.__init__) and bound methods.
-    The last line is the first line of the doc string.  For builtins, this typically
-    includes the arguments in addition to the return value.
+    The next lines are the first lines of the doc string up to the first
+    empty line.  For builtins, this typically includes the arguments in
+    addition to the return value.
 
     '''
     argspec = ""
@@ -148,13 +152,13 @@
         else:
             doc = getattr(ob, "__doc__", "")
         if doc:
-            doc = doc.lstrip()
-            pos = doc.find("\n")
-            if pos < 0 or pos > 70:
-                pos = 70
-            if argspec:
-                argspec += "\n"
-            argspec += doc[:pos]
+            lines = [argspec] if argspec else []
+            for line in doc.splitlines()[:_MAXARGSPECLINES - len(lines)]:
+                line = line.strip()
+                if not line:
+                    break
+                lines.append(line[:_MAXARGSPECCOLS])
+            argspec = '\n'.join(lines)
         if not argspec:
             argspec = _default_callable_argspec
     return argspec
@@ -209,12 +213,15 @@
             print(fmt % (expression, expected, argspec))
 
     def test_builtins():
-        # if first line of a possibly multiline compiled docstring changes,
+        # if a compiled docstring changes,
         # must change corresponding test string
         test('int',  "int(x=0) -> integer")
+        test('int',  "int(x=0) -> integer\n"
+             "int(x, base=10) -> integer")
         test('Int',  Int.__doc__)
         test('types.MethodType', "method(function, instance)")
-        test('list', "list() -> new empty list")
+        test('list', "list() -> new empty list\n"
+             "list(iterable) -> new list initialized from iterable's items")
         test('List', List.__doc__)
         test('list.__new__',
                'T.__new__(S, ...) -> a new object with type S, a subtype of T')