diff --git a/codespell_lib/_codespell.py b/codespell_lib/_codespell.py
index dadb575378b..8bb93c315ee 100644
--- a/codespell_lib/_codespell.py
+++ b/codespell_lib/_codespell.py
@@ -339,10 +339,9 @@ def parse_options(
         "-D",
         "--dictionary",
         action="append",
-        help="custom dictionary file that contains spelling "
-        "corrections. If this flag is not specified or "
-        'equals "-" then the default dictionary is used. '
-        "This option can be specified multiple times.",
+        help="comma-separated list of custom dictionary files that "
+        "contain spelling  corrections. If this flag is not specified "
+        'or equals "-" then the default dictionary is used.',
     )
     builtin_opts = "\n- ".join(
         [""] + [f"{d[0]!r} {d[1]}" for d in _builtin_dictionaries]
@@ -372,26 +371,26 @@ def parse_options(
         "-I",
         "--ignore-words",
         action="append",
-        metavar="FILE",
-        help="file that contains words that will be ignored "
-        "by codespell. File must contain 1 word per line."
-        " Words are case sensitive based on how they are "
-        "written in the dictionary file",
+        metavar="FILES",
+        help="comma-separated list of files that contain "
+        "words to be ignored by codespell. Files must contain "
+        "1 word per line. Words are case sensitive based on "
+        "how they are  written in the dictionary file.",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "-L",
         "--ignore-words-list",
         action="append",
         metavar="WORDS",
-        help="comma separated list of words to be ignored "
+        help="comma-separated list of words to be ignored "
         "by codespell. Words are case sensitive based on "
-        "how they are written in the dictionary file",
+        "how they are written in the dictionary file.",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--uri-ignore-words-list",
         action="append",
         metavar="WORDS",
-        help="comma separated list of words to be ignored "
+        help="comma-separated list of words to be ignored "
         "by codespell in URIs and emails only. Words are "
         "case sensitive based on how they are written in "
         'the dictionary file. If set to "*", all '
@@ -443,11 +442,13 @@ def parse_options(
     parser.add_argument(
         "-x",
         "--exclude-file",
+        action="append",
         type=str,
-        metavar="FILE",
-        help="ignore whole lines that match those "
-        "in the file FILE. The lines in FILE "
-        "should match the to-be-excluded lines exactly",
+        metavar="FILES",
+        help="ignore whole lines that match those in "
+        "the comma-separated list of files EXCLUDE. "
+        "The lines in these files should match the "
+        "to-be-excluded lines exactly",
     )
 
     parser.add_argument(
@@ -984,6 +985,24 @@ def parse_file(
     return bad_count
 
 
+def flatten_comma_separated_arguments(
+    arguments: List[str],
+) -> List[str]:
+    """
+    >>> flatten_comma_separated_arguments(None)
+    None
+    >>> flatten_comma_separated_arguments([])
+    []
+    >>> flatten_comma_separated_arguments(None)
+    None
+    >>> flatten_comma_separated_arguments(["a,b,c", "d", "e"])
+    ['a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e']
+    """
+    if arguments:
+        arguments = [item for argument in arguments for item in argument.split(",")]
+    return arguments
+
+
 def _script_main() -> int:
     """Wrap to main() for setuptools."""
     return main(*sys.argv[1:])
@@ -1028,8 +1047,8 @@ def main(*args: str) -> int:
     else:
         ignore_word_regex = None
 
-    ignore_words_files = options.ignore_words or []
     ignore_words = parse_ignore_words_option(options.ignore_words_list)
+    ignore_words_files = flatten_comma_separated_arguments(options.ignore_words) or []
     for ignore_words_file in ignore_words_files:
         if not os.path.isfile(ignore_words_file):
             print(
@@ -1052,10 +1071,7 @@ def main(*args: str) -> int:
         return EX_USAGE
     uri_ignore_words = parse_ignore_words_option(options.uri_ignore_words_list)
 
-    if options.dictionary:
-        dictionaries = options.dictionary
-    else:
-        dictionaries = ["-"]
+    dictionaries = flatten_comma_separated_arguments(options.dictionary) or ["-"]
     use_dictionaries = []
     for dictionary in dictionaries:
         if dictionary == "-":
@@ -1118,8 +1134,9 @@ def main(*args: str) -> int:
         context = (context_before, context_after)
 
     exclude_lines: Set[str] = set()
-    if options.exclude_file:
-        build_exclude_hashes(options.exclude_file, exclude_lines)
+    exclude_files = flatten_comma_separated_arguments(options.exclude_file) or []
+    for exclude_file in exclude_files:
+        build_exclude_hashes(exclude_file, exclude_lines)
 
     file_opener = FileOpener(options.hard_encoding_detection, options.quiet_level)
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c6b11fac8c0..13d73e593f8 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -141,6 +141,6 @@ max-complexity = 45
 [tool.ruff.pylint]
 allow-magic-value-types = ["bytes", "int", "str",]
 max-args = 12
-max-branches = 48
+max-branches = 46
 max-returns = 10
-max-statements = 111
+max-statements = 108