Multiple inheritance allows a subclass to inherit from multiple parent classes, combining their functionality. While simple in concept, it can be tricky to implement clearly. The simplest form is a mixin, where a class is designed to be inherited from to share methods and attributes without becoming a unique entity itself. The example demonstrates a MailSender mixin class that a EmailableContact class inherits from along with a Contact class, allowing send_mail functionality to be reused across classes.