diff --git a/Doc/library/contextlib.rst b/Doc/library/contextlib.rst
--- a/Doc/library/contextlib.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/contextlib.rst
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@
 
 .. class:: ContextDecorator()
 
-   A base class that enables a context manager to also be used as a decorator.
+   A base class that enables a context manager to also be used as a decorator
+   factory.
 
    Context managers inheriting from ``ContextDecorator`` have to implement
    ``__enter__`` and ``__exit__`` as normal. ``__exit__`` retains its optional
@@ -159,13 +160,25 @@
           def __exit__(self, *exc):
               return False
 
-   .. note::
+   .. versionadded:: 3.2
+   
+   .. method:: refresh_cm()
+
+      This method is invoked each time a call is made to a decorated function.
+      The default implementation just returns *self*.
+
       As the decorated function must be able to be called multiple times, the
-      underlying context manager must support use in multiple :keyword:`with`
-      statements. If this is not the case, then the original construct with the
-      explicit :keyword:`with` statement inside the function should be used.
+      underlying context manager must normally support use in multiple
+      ``with`` statements (preferably in a thread-safe manner). If
+      this is not the case, then the context manager must override this
+      method and return a *new* copy of the context manager on each
+      invocation.
 
-   .. versionadded:: 3.2
+      This may mean keeping a copy of the original arguments used to
+      initialise the context manager.
+
+      .. versionadded:: 3.3
+
 
 
 .. seealso::
diff --git a/Doc/whatsnew/3.3.rst b/Doc/whatsnew/3.3.rst
--- a/Doc/whatsnew/3.3.rst
+++ b/Doc/whatsnew/3.3.rst
@@ -696,6 +696,16 @@
 .. XXX addition of __slots__ to ABCs not recorded here: internal detail
 
 
+contextlib
+----------
+
+The new :meth:`~contextlib.ContextDecorator.refresh_cm` method makes it
+possible to implicitly create a new instance of the context manager for each
+call to the decorated function. This means even single use context managers
+can be updated to support use as decorator factories.
+
+(:issue:`11647`)
+
 crypt
 -----
 
diff --git a/Lib/contextlib.py b/Lib/contextlib.py
--- a/Lib/contextlib.py
+++ b/Lib/contextlib.py
@@ -9,22 +9,23 @@
 class ContextDecorator(object):
     "A base class or mixin that enables context managers to work as decorators."
 
-    def _recreate_cm(self):
-        """Return a recreated instance of self.
+    def refresh_cm(self):
+        """Returns the context manager used to actually wrap the call to the
+        decorated function.
 
-        Allows otherwise one-shot context managers like
-        _GeneratorContextManager to support use as
-        decorators via implicit recreation.
+        The default implementation just returns *self*.
 
-        Note: this is a private interface just for _GCM in 3.2 but will be
-        renamed and documented for third party use in 3.3
+        Overriding this method allows otherwise one-shot context managers
+        (such as those created by the @contextmanager decorator) to support
+        use as function decorator factories by automatically creating a
+        fresh instance of the context manager on each call to the function.
         """
         return self
 
     def __call__(self, func):
         @wraps(func)
         def inner(*args, **kwds):
-            with self._recreate_cm():
+            with self.refresh_cm():
                 return func(*args, **kwds)
         return inner
 
@@ -36,10 +37,8 @@
         self.gen = func(*args, **kwds)
         self.func, self.args, self.kwds = func, args, kwds
 
-    def _recreate_cm(self):
-        # _GCM instances are one-shot context managers, so the
-        # CM must be recreated each time a decorated function is
-        # called
+    def refresh_cm(self):
+        """Creates a new instance of the underlying context manager"""
         return self.__class__(self.func, *self.args, **self.kwds)
 
     def __enter__(self):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_contextlib.py b/Lib/test/test_contextlib.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_contextlib.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_contextlib.py
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
         self.boilerPlate(lock, locked)
 
 
-class mycontext(ContextDecorator):
+class ReusedContextDecorator(ContextDecorator):
     started = False
     exc = None
     catch = False
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@
 class TestContextDecorator(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_contextdecorator(self):
-        context = mycontext()
+        context = ReusedContextDecorator()
         with context as result:
             self.assertIs(result, context)
             self.assertTrue(context.started)
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@
 
 
     def test_contextdecorator_with_exception(self):
-        context = mycontext()
+        context = ReusedContextDecorator()
 
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(NameError, 'foo'):
             with context:
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@
         self.assertIsNotNone(context.exc)
         self.assertIs(context.exc[0], NameError)
 
-        context = mycontext()
+        context = ReusedContextDecorator()
         context.catch = True
         with context:
             raise NameError('foo')
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
 
 
     def test_decorator(self):
-        context = mycontext()
+        context = ReusedContextDecorator()
 
         @context
         def test():
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@
 
 
     def test_decorator_with_exception(self):
-        context = mycontext()
+        context = ReusedContextDecorator()
 
         @context
         def test():
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@
 
 
     def test_decorating_method(self):
-        context = mycontext()
+        context = ReusedContextDecorator()
 
         class Test(object):
 
@@ -369,6 +369,42 @@
         test('something else')
         self.assertEqual(state, [1, 'something else', 999])
 
+    def test_decorator_no_refresh(self):
+        managers = []
+        class mycontext(ContextDecorator):
+            def __enter__(self):
+                managers.append(self)
+            def __exit__(self, *args):
+                pass
+        @mycontext()
+        def test():
+            pass
+        test()
+        test()
+        self.assertEqual(len(managers), 2)
+        self.assertIs(managers[0], managers[1])
+
+    def test_decorator_refreshed(self):
+        managers = []
+        class mycontext(ContextDecorator):
+            def refresh_cm(self):
+                return mycontext()
+            def __enter__(self):
+                managers.append(self)
+            def __exit__(self, *args):
+                pass
+        decorator = mycontext()
+        @decorator
+        def test():
+            pass
+        test()
+        test()
+        self.assertEqual(len(managers), 2)
+        self.assertIsNot(managers[0], decorator)
+        self.assertIsNot(managers[1], decorator)
+        self.assertIsNot(managers[0], managers[1])
+
+
 
 # This is needed to make the test actually run under regrtest.py!
 def test_main():
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #11647: The contextlib.ContextDecorator.refresh_cm() mechanism
+  is now public, allowing ContextDecorator subclasses to recreate the context
+  manager on each call to the function.
+
 - Issue #13152: Allow to specify a custom tabsize for expanding tabs in
   textwrap. Patch by John Feuerstein.