Abstract In this article, the multiple exp-function method and the linear superposition principle are employed for constructing the exact solutions and the solitary wave solutions for the (2+1)-dimensional Calogero–Bogoyavlenskii–Schiff (CBS) equation. With help of Maple and by using the multiple exp-method, we can get exact explicit one-wave, two-wave, and three-wave solutions, which include one-soliton-, two-soliton-, and three-soliton-type solutions. Furthermore, we apply the linear superposition principle to find n-wave solutions of the CBS equation. Two cases with specific values of the involved parameters are plotted for each two-wave and three-wave solutions.