my $sth = $dbh->prepare('SELECT word FROM ? WHERE word = ?');
foreach my $x (@checklists) {
    $sth->execute($x, $word);
    my $ret = $sth->fetchrow_hashref();
    ...etc...
}

##</code><code>##

DBD::mysql::st execute failed: You have an error in your SQL syntax near ''common_dict' WHERE word = 'aa'' at line 1 at ./quiddler.pl line 48.
DBD::mysql::st fetchrow_hashref failed: fetch() without execute() at ./quiddler.pl line 49.
Issuing rollback() for database handle being DESTROY'd without explicit disconnect().