It is well known that, because of the axial anomaly in QCD, mesons with J P ¼ 0 − are close to SUð3Þ V eigenstates; the η 0 ð958Þ meson is largely a singlet, and the η meson an octet. In contrast, states with J P ¼ 1 − are flavor diagonal; e.g., the ϕð1020Þ is almost puress. Using effective Lagrangians, we show how this generalizes to states with higher spin, assuming that they can be classified according to the unbroken chiral symmetry of G fl ¼ SUð3Þ L × SUð3Þ R . We construct effective Lagrangians from terms invariant under G fl and introduce the concept of hetero-and homochiral multiplets. Because of the axial anomaly, only terms invariant under the Zð3Þ A subgroup of the axial Uð1Þ A enter. For heterochiral multiplets, which begin with that including the η and η 0 ð958Þ, there are Zð3Þ A invariant terms with low mass dimension which cause states to mix according to SUð3Þ V flavor. For homochiral multiplets, which begin with that including the ϕð1020Þ, there are no Zð3Þ A invariant terms with low mass dimension, and so states are diagonal in flavor.In this way, we predict the flavor mixing for the heterochiral multiplet with spin 1 as well as for hetero-and homochiral multiplets with spin 2 and spin 3.