Bean shows sign of life (5)
I believe the answer is:
pulse
This clue is a double definition.
'bean' is the first definition.
(I know that bean can be written as pulse)
'sign of life' is the second definition.
(a person's pulse)
'shows' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for pulse that I've seen before include "Rhythmic beat" , "Heart beat - peas, beans etc" , "Vitality" , "Vegetable (taken by doctors?)" , "Rhythmical throb of arteries" .)