Very recently, A. Moudafi and C. Byrne proposed the split equality problem (SEP), and established several iterative algorithms for solving the SEP. In this paper, we consider the multiple-sets split equality problem (MSSEP) which generalizes the multiplesets split feasibility problem (MSSFP) and the SEP. Some iterative algorithms for solving the MSSEP are proposed in this paper. Two main ideas are stated for solving the MSSEP. On one hand, the MSSEP is transformed to a problem that obtain a common fixed point of finite averaged mappings; on the other hand, the MSSEP is proved to be equivalent to an optimization problem.