$text = 'this has a $foo in it and a $bar';
$text =~ s/(\$\w+)/$1/eeg;   # needs /ee, not /e

##</code><code>##

#!/usr/bin/perl -wT
use strict;
no strict 'refs';

my $foo = 'switch';
my $bar = 'button';
my $text1 = my $text2 = my $text3 = 'this has a $foo in it and a $bar';

$text1 =~ s/(\$\w+)/$1/g;
$text2 =~ s/(\$\w+)/$1/ge;
$text3 =~ s/(\$\w+)/$1/gee;

print "T1 /g   : $text1\n";
print "T2 /ge  : $text2\n";
print "T3 /gee : $text3\n";

=OUTPUT
T1 /g   : this has a $foo in it and a $bar
T2 /ge  : this has a $foo in it and a $bar
T3 /gee : this has a switch in it and a button