diff --git a/returnn/tf/util/data.py b/returnn/tf/util/data.py
index c38a62d0e..40f48de97 100644
--- a/returnn/tf/util/data.py
+++ b/returnn/tf/util/data.py
@@ -2571,6 +2571,12 @@ def get_axes_from_description(self, axes, allow_int=True):
         return self.get_axes_from_description(list(axes))
       elif axes.startswith("stag:"):  # spatial tag
         axes = self.get_axis_by_tag_name(axes[len("stag:"):], spatial_only=True)
+      elif axes.startswith("stag-single:"):  # spatial tag which possibly matches multiple spatial axes
+        # in this case, a name of form "stag-single:<idx>:<name> is expected.
+        # idx is relative to the matching stags, i.e., it is the index among the list of spatial dims matching the name
+        _, idx_s, name = axes.split(":", 2)  # stag-single:<idx>:<name>
+        idx = int(idx_s)
+        axes = self.get_axes_by_tag_name(name, spatial_only=True)[idx]
       else:
         raise Exception("invalid axis mode %r" % axes)
     if isinstance(axes, int):
@@ -2601,18 +2607,28 @@ def get_axis_from_description(self, axis, allow_int=True):
     assert len(axes) == 1, "%r: %r is not a unique axis but %r" % (self, axis, axes)
     return axes[0]
 
-  def get_axis_by_tag_name(self, name, spatial_only=False):
+  def get_axes_by_tag_name(self, name, spatial_only=False):
     """
     :param str name: the tag name, or part of it (must be unique, and must exist)
     :param bool spatial_only:
-    :rtype: int
+    :rtype: list[int]
     """
     dim_tags = self.get_batch_shape_dim_tags()
     matching_dim_tags = [(axis, tag) for axis, tag in enumerate(dim_tags) if name.lower() in tag.description.lower()]
     if spatial_only:
       matching_dim_tags = [(axis, tag) for axis, tag in matching_dim_tags if tag.kind == DimensionTag.Types.Spatial]
-    assert len(matching_dim_tags) == 1, "%r: tag name %r is not unique in dim tags %r" % (self, name, dim_tags)
-    return matching_dim_tags[0][0]
+    return [ax for ax, _ in matching_dim_tags]
+
+  def get_axis_by_tag_name(self, name, spatial_only=False):
+    """
+    :param str name: the tag name, or part of it (must be unique, and must exist)
+    :param bool spatial_only:
+    :rtype: int
+    """
+    matching_dim_tags = self.get_axes_by_tag_name(name, spatial_only)
+    assert len(matching_dim_tags) == 1, "%r: tag name %r is not unique in dim tags %r" % (
+      self, name, self.get_batch_shape_dim_tags())
+    return matching_dim_tags[0]
 
   def get_batch_axis_excluding_batch(self, axis):
     """