You can assign to any var the returned variable from the included file

dummy_list.php

<?php

$list = array();

$list[] = 'a';
$list[] = 'b';
$list[] = 'c';
$list[] = 'd';

return $list;

index.php

<?php

$fooBar = include('dummy_list.php');

print_r($fooBar);

/*
 * OUTPUTS:
 *
Array
(
    [0] => a
    [1] => b
    [2] => c
    [3] => d
)
*/