diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 41e8ea1..4757964 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -55,17 +55,17 @@ Usage
 The CLI says it all when invoked as `bean-grep --help`:
 
 ```
-Usage: bean-grep [OPTIONS] [PATTERN] FILENAME...
+Usage: bean-grep [OPTIONS] [PATTERNS] FILENAME...
 
   Search for entries matching given criteria in Beancount journals. Pretty
   print matching entries to standard output.
 
-  Search criteria can be specified with the options below and/or providing an
-  explicit "smart" PATTERN. If given, PATTERN is interpreted as described
-  below under "Patterns". If not given, search criteria are defined by
-  explicit options.
+  Search criteria can be specified with the options below and/or providing one
+  or more explicit "smart" PATTERNS. If given, PATTERNS is a newline-separated
+  list of patterns, each one interpreted as described below under "Patterns".
+  If not given, search criteria are defined by explicit options.
 
-  Multiple options, options given mutiple times, and PATTERN(s) are logically
+  Multiple options, options given mutiple times, and PATTERNS are logically
   joined (AND-ed) together.
 
   The granularity of matching (and results) is that of individual entries,
@@ -139,8 +139,8 @@ Options:
                                   match is found.  [default: no-quiet]
   --skip-internals / --no-skip-internals
                                   When matching, ignore internal information
-                                  not visible in the ledger. This includes the
-                                  automatic metadata: filename, lineno.
+                                  not visible in the journal. This includes
+                                  the automatic metadata: filename, lineno.
                                   [default: skip-internals]
   -v, --invert-match              Invert the sense of matching: return entries
                                   that do *not* match given criteria. This
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ Options:
 
   Patterns:
 
-  When given the "smart" PATTERN is interpreted according to the following
+  When given each "smart" PATTERN is interpreted according to the following
   heuristics, tried in order, first match wins:
 
   - if it is in the form "YYYY-MM-DD" -> then it is interpreted as --date
diff --git a/src/beangrep/beangrep.py b/src/beangrep/beangrep.py
index c669d65..64f5b3e 100644
--- a/src/beangrep/beangrep.py
+++ b/src/beangrep/beangrep.py
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ def _re_compile(ignore_case: bool, s: str) -> re.Pattern:
     @classmethod
     def guess(
         cls,
-        pattern: str,
+        patterns: list[str],
         caseness: Caseness = Caseness.SMART,
         base: Optional[Self] = None,
     ) -> Self:
diff --git a/src/beangrep/cli.py b/src/beangrep/cli.py
index 3c3f6bf..6f2c9d5 100644
--- a/src/beangrep/cli.py
+++ b/src/beangrep/cli.py
@@ -27,11 +27,12 @@
     help="""Search for entries matching given criteria in Beancount journals. Pretty
 print matching entries to standard output.
 
-Search criteria can be specified with the options below and/or providing an explicit
-"smart" PATTERN. If given, PATTERN is interpreted as described below under "Patterns".
-If not given, search criteria are defined by explicit options.
+Search criteria can be specified with the options below and/or providing one or more
+explicit "smart" PATTERNS. If given, PATTERNS is a newline-separated list of patterns,
+each one interpreted as described below under "Patterns". If not given, search criteria
+are defined by explicit options.
 
-Multiple options, options given mutiple times, and PATTERN(s) are logically joined
+Multiple options, options given mutiple times, and PATTERNS are logically joined
 (AND-ed) together.
 
 The granularity of matching (and results) is that of individual entries, e.g., full
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@
 buffering of stdin.""",
     epilog="""Patterns:
 
-When given the "smart" PATTERN is interpreted according to the following heuristics,
+When given each "smart" PATTERN is interpreted according to the following heuristics,
 tried in order, first match wins:
 
 - if it is in the form "YYYY-MM-DD" -> then it is interpreted as --date
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@
     "args",
     required=True,
     nargs=-1,
-    metavar="[PATTERN] FILENAME...",  # override metavar to show what is required
+    metavar="[PATTERNS] FILENAME...",  # override metavar to show what is required
 )
 @click.option(
     "--account",
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@
     "skip_internals",
     default=True,
     show_default=True,
-    help=f"""When matching, ignore internal information not visible in the ledger. This
+    help=f"""When matching, ignore internal information not visible in the journal. This
 includes the automatic metadata: {", ".join(sorted(INTERNALS_META))}.""",
 )
 @click.option(
@@ -265,11 +266,15 @@ def cli(
             log_level = logging.DEBUG
     logging.basicConfig(level=log_level)
 
-    (pattern, filenames) = (None, [])
+    (patterns, filenames) = ([], [])
     if len(args) == 1:  # len(args) == 0 should not happen due to required=True
         filenames = list(args)
     elif len(args) >= 2:
-        (pattern, filenames) = (args[0], list(args[1:]))
+        filenames = list(args[1:])
+        if "\n" in args[0]:
+            patterns = args[0].split("\n")
+        else:
+            patterns = [args[0]]
     if len(list(filter(lambda fname: fname == "-", filenames))) > 1:
         raise click.BadArgumentUsage(
             'Standard input ("-") cannot be specified multipled times'
@@ -278,8 +283,8 @@ def cli(
     caseness = Caseness.from_cli(case_sensitive, ignore_case, smart_case)
     try:
         criteria = Criteria()  # start from default criteria
-        if pattern is not None:  # append smart pattern(s), if any
-            criteria = Criteria.guess(pattern, caseness, base=criteria)
+        if patterns:  # append smart patterns, if any
+            criteria = Criteria.guess(patterns, caseness, base=criteria)
         criteria = Criteria.from_cli(  # append explicit options, if any
             accounts=accounts,
             amounts=amounts,