assignment embedded in an expression

[snippsat]

but i was afraid of doing a = b = c = {} out of fear that a, b, and c would all be referencing the same dictionary

It would dot that:

>>> a = b = c = {}
>>> id(a)
8350192
>>> id(b)
8350192
>>> id(c)
8350192

Easy fix:

>>> a, b, c = [{} for i in range(3)]
>>> id(a)
8358720
>>> id(b)
52826352
>>> id(c)
8358672

>>> help(id)
Help on built-in function id in module builtins:

id(obj, /)
    Return the identity of an object.    
    This is guaranteed to be unique among simultaneously existing objects.
    (CPython uses the object's memory address.)