if ($string =~ m{ (foo|bar) (\d+) (w[ia]g) }xms) {
    my ($one, $two, $three) = ($1, $2, $3);
    do_something_with($one);
    ...
    }

##</code><code>##

if (my ($one, $two, $three) = $string =~ m{ (foo|bar) (\d+) (w[ia]g) }xms) {
    do_something_with($one);
    ...
    }