def multi_load(inputs, ac_parser=None, ac_template=False, ac_context=None,
               **options):
    r
    marker = options.setdefault("ac_marker", options.get("marker", '*'))
    schema = _maybe_schema(ac_template=ac_template, ac_context=ac_context,
                           **options)
    options["ac_schema"] = None
    paths = anyconfig.utils.expand_paths(inputs, marker=marker)
    if anyconfig.utils.are_same_file_types(paths):
        ac_parser = find(paths[0], forced_type=ac_parser)
    cnf = ac_context
    for path in paths:
        opts = options.copy()
        cups = _single_load(path, ac_parser=ac_parser,
                            ac_template=ac_template, ac_context=cnf, **opts)
        if cups:
            if cnf is None:
                cnf = cups
            else:
                merge(cnf, cups, **options)
    if cnf is None:
        return anyconfig.dicts.convert_to({}, **options)
    cnf = _try_validate(cnf, schema, **options)
    return anyconfig.query.query(cnf, **options)