diff --git a/doc/pair_meam_spline.html b/doc/pair_meam_spline.html
index a21ae9cb76..7c7af62619 100644
--- a/doc/pair_meam_spline.html
+++ b/doc/pair_meam_spline.html
@@ -53,15 +53,32 @@ information; thus you need to use the <A HREF = "mass.html">mass</A> command to
 specify it.
 </P>
 <P>Only a single pair_coeff command is used with the <I>meam/spline</I> style
-which specifies the spline-based MEAM potential file:
+which specifies a potential file with parameters for all needed
+elements.  These are mapped to LAMMPS atom types by specifying N
+additional arguments after the filename in the pair_coeff command,
+where N is the number of LAMMPS atom types:
 </P>
-<UL><LI>meam/spline potential file 
+<UL><LI>filename
+<LI>N element names = mapping of spline-based MEAM elements to atom types 
 </UL>
+<P>As an example, imagine the Ti.meam.spline file has values for Ti.  If
+your LAMMPS simulation has 3 atoms types and they are all to be
+treated with this potentials, you would use the following pair_coeff
+command:
+</P>
+<PRE>pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti Ti Ti 
+</PRE>
+<P>The 1st 2 arguments must be * * so as to span all LAMMPS atom types.
+The three Ti arguments map LAMMPS atom types 1,2,3 to the Ti element
+in the potential file.  If a mapping value is specified as NULL, the
+mapping is not performed.  This can be used when a <I>meam/spline</I>
+potential is used as part of the <I>hybrid</I> pair style.  The NULL values
+are placeholders for atom types that will be used with other
+potentials.
+</P>
 <P>IMPORTANT NOTE: The <I>meam/spline</I> style currently supports only
-single-element MEAM potentials.  Thus it cannot be used with
-<A HREF = "pair_hybrid.html">pair_style hybrid</A> command, and with a NULL syntax
-in the pair_coeff command, as used by other many-body potentials, to
-determine what subset of atom types to apply the potential to.
+single-element MEAM potentials.  It may be extended for alloy systems
+in the future.
 </P>
 <HR>
 
diff --git a/doc/pair_meam_spline.txt b/doc/pair_meam_spline.txt
index 9db0202842..86968e3023 100644
--- a/doc/pair_meam_spline.txt
+++ b/doc/pair_meam_spline.txt
@@ -50,15 +50,32 @@ information; thus you need to use the "mass"_mass.html command to
 specify it.
 
 Only a single pair_coeff command is used with the {meam/spline} style
-which specifies the spline-based MEAM potential file:
+which specifies a potential file with parameters for all needed
+elements.  These are mapped to LAMMPS atom types by specifying N
+additional arguments after the filename in the pair_coeff command,
+where N is the number of LAMMPS atom types:
 
-meam/spline potential file :ul
+filename
+N element names = mapping of spline-based MEAM elements to atom types :ul
+
+As an example, imagine the Ti.meam.spline file has values for Ti.  If
+your LAMMPS simulation has 3 atoms types and they are all to be
+treated with this potentials, you would use the following pair_coeff
+command:
+
+pair_coeff * * Ti.meam.spline Ti Ti Ti :pre
+
+The 1st 2 arguments must be * * so as to span all LAMMPS atom types.
+The three Ti arguments map LAMMPS atom types 1,2,3 to the Ti element
+in the potential file.  If a mapping value is specified as NULL, the
+mapping is not performed.  This can be used when a {meam/spline}
+potential is used as part of the {hybrid} pair style.  The NULL values
+are placeholders for atom types that will be used with other
+potentials.
 
 IMPORTANT NOTE: The {meam/spline} style currently supports only
-single-element MEAM potentials.  Thus it cannot be used with
-"pair_style hybrid"_pair_hybrid.html command, and with a NULL syntax
-in the pair_coeff command, as used by other many-body potentials, to
-determine what subset of atom types to apply the potential to.
+single-element MEAM potentials.  It may be extended for alloy systems
+in the future.
 
 :line