diff --git a/sword.m4 b/sword.m4
index 8326ba3..9febf57 100644
--- a/sword.m4
+++ b/sword.m4
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ AC_ARG_ENABLE(static-sword,
 dnl try to find Sword library files
 AC_MSG_CHECKING([for Sword library files])
 AC_REQUIRE([AC_FIND_ZLIB])
-ac_sword_library_dirs="$ac_sword_dir/lib64 $ac_sword_dir/lib $exec_prefix/lib $prefix/lib64 $prefix/lib /usr/lib /usr/lib64 /usr/lib/sword /usr/local/lib /usr/local/lib/sword /usr/local/sword/lib"
+sword_multiarch="`gcc -print-multiarch 2>/dev/null`"
+ac_sword_library_dirs="$ac_sword_dir/lib/$sword_multiarch $ac_sword_dir/lib64 $ac_sword_dir/lib $exec_prefix/lib/$sword_multiarch $exec_prefix/lib $prefix/lib/$sword_multiarch $prefix/lib64 $prefix/lib /usr/lib/$sword_multiarch /usr/lib /usr/lib64 /usr/lib/sword /usr/local/lib/$sword_multiarch /usr/local/lib /usr/local/lib/sword /usr/local/sword/lib"
 
 if test "x$ac_static_sword" = "xYES"; then
 	SEARCH_LIBS="libsword.a";