diff --git a/plugins/8ball.py b/plugins/8ball.py
index 59ddc35..b472188 100755
--- a/plugins/8ball.py
+++ b/plugins/8ball.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from util import hook
+from util.text import multiword_replace
 import random
 
 color_codes = {
@@ -8,10 +9,8 @@ color_codes = {
 }
 
 with open("plugins/data/8ball_responses.txt") as f:
-    for code in color_codes:
-        f = f.replace(code, color_codes[code])
-    responses = [line.strip() for line in f.readlines()
-            if not line.startswith("//")]
+    responses = [multiword_replace(line.strip(), color_codes) for line in
+        f.readlines()if not line.startswith("//")]
 
 
 @hook.command('8ball')
@@ -19,6 +18,6 @@ def eightball(input, me=None):
     "8ball <question> -- The all knowing magic eight ball, " \
     "in electronic form. Ask and it shall be answered!"
 
-    # here we use voodoo magic to tell the future 
+    # here we use voodoo magic to tell the future
     magic = random.choice(responses)
     me("shakes the magic 8 ball... %s" % magic)
diff --git a/plugins/factoids.py b/plugins/factoids.py
index 79dd07f..5a028ac 100755
--- a/plugins/factoids.py
+++ b/plugins/factoids.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # Written by Scaevolus 2010
 from util import hook, http
+from util.text import multiword_replace
 import string
 import re
 
@@ -47,18 +48,6 @@ def get_memory(db, word):
         return None
 
 
-def multiwordReplace(text, wordDic):
-    """
-    take a text and replace words that match a key in a dictionary with
-    the associated value, return the changed text
-    """
-    rc = re.compile('|'.join(map(re.escape, wordDic)))
-
-    def translate(match):
-        return wordDic[match.group(0)]
-    return rc.sub(translate, text)
-
-
 @hook.command("r", adminonly=True)
 @hook.command(adminonly=True)
 def remember(inp, nick='', db=None, say=None, input=None, notice=None):
@@ -164,7 +153,7 @@ def factoid(inp, say=None, db=None, bot=None, me=None, conn=None, input=None):
         else:
             result = data
             
-        result = multiwordReplace(result, shortcodes)
+        result = multiword_replace(result, shortcodes)
 
         if result.startswith("<act>"):
             result = result[5:].strip()
diff --git a/plugins/util/text.py b/plugins/util/text.py
index 57f67d3..8857e8f 100755
--- a/plugins/util/text.py
+++ b/plugins/util/text.py
@@ -14,6 +14,18 @@ def capitalize_first(line):
     return ' '.join([s[0].upper() + s[1:] for s in line.split(' ')])
 
 
+def multiword_replace(text, wordDic):
+    """
+    take a text and replace words that match a key in a dictionary with
+    the associated value, return the changed text
+    """
+    rc = re.compile('|'.join(map(re.escape, wordDic)))
+
+    def translate(match):
+        return wordDic[match.group(0)]
+    return rc.sub(translate, text)
+
+
 # from <http://stackoverflow.com/questions/250357/smart-truncate-in-python>
 def truncate_words(content, length=100, suffix='...'):
     "Truncates a string after a certain number of chars."