re_list = [ '\d+\.\d*[L][-]\d*\s[A-Z]*[/]\d*', # re1 in question, ... '\d+[/]\d+[A-Z]*\d+\s\d+[A-z]\s[A-Z]*', # re4 in question ] matches = [] for r in re_list: matches += re.findall( r, string)