#!/usr/bin/perl
use 5.10.0;
my $re = qr/(?:(simple).*?)+/;
my $string = "This is a simple thing just a simple simple thing.";

$string =~ /$re/g;

say $&;

##</code><code>##

simple

##</code><code>##

my $re = qr/(?:(simple).*?){3}/;

##</code><code>##

simple thing just a simple simple