What do the following words have in common?

WE
WARD
WARE
CUTE
BOUT
TONE

2. What do the following words have in common?

AT
WAN
MAN
OGLE
SLING

Answers:

1. Each word can be preceded by A to form a new word:

AWE
AWARD
AWARE
ACUTE
ABOUT
ATONE

2. The letters (word) GO can precede, be inserted into, or follow each of the words to form new words:

GOAT
WAGON
MANGO
GOOGLE
GOSLING

Credit #2: 
NY Times Crossword
December 31, 2015
Ben Tausig