A multi-mode wave energy converter buoy comprising: a container designed to extend along the surface of a body of water and to be responsive to heave motion and to pitch motion of the waves in the body of water; a heave responsive wave energy converter device mounted within, and generally about, the center portion of the container to respond primarily to heave motion of the container; and a power take-off (PTO#1) device coupled to the heave responsive WEC device; characterized in that: N pitch responsive wave energy converter devices (101, 103) are mounted within the container and generally about the outer periphery of the container, said N pitch responsive WEC devices being designed to respond to pitch motion of the container, where N is equal to or greater than 1; a power take-off device (PTO#2, PTO#3) is coupled to each one of said N pitch responsive WEC devices to produce useful energy, and said N pitch responsive WEC devices (101, 103) include a first reaction mass positioned near one end of the container and a second reaction mass positioned near the opposite end of the container, and means (110, 112, R1, R2, R3, R4) coupled to and interconnecting said reaction masses such that the reaction masses move generally up and down and such that when one mass moves up the other mass moves down and when the one mass moves down the other mass moves up. a container designed to extend along the surface of a body of water and to be responsive to heave motion and to pitch motion of the waves in the body of water; a heave responsive wave energy converter device mounted within, and generally about, the center portion of the container to respond primarily to heave motion of the container; and a power take-off (PTO#1) device coupled to the heave responsive WEC device; characterized in that: N pitch responsive wave energy converter devices (101, 103) are mounted within the container and generally about the outer periphery of the container, said N pitch responsive WEC devices being designed to respond to pitch motion of the container, where N is equal to or greater than 1; a power take-off device (PTO#2, PTO#3) is coupled to each one of said N pitch responsive WEC devices to produce useful energy, and said N pitch responsive WEC devices (101, 103) include a first reaction mass positioned near one end of the container and a second reaction mass positioned near the opposite end of the container, and means (110, 112, R1, R2, R3, R4) coupled to and interconnecting said reaction masses such that the reaction masses move generally up and down and such that when one mass moves up the other mass moves down and when the one mass moves down the other mass moves up. N pitch responsive wave energy converter devices (101, 103) are mounted within the container and generally about the outer periphery of the container, said N pitch responsive WEC devices being designed to respond to pitch motion of the container, where N is equal to or greater than 1; a power take-off device (PTO#2, PTO#3) is coupled to each one of said N pitch responsive WEC devices to produce useful energy, and said N pitch responsive WEC devices (101, 103) include a first reaction mass positioned near one end of the container and a second reaction mass positioned near the opposite end of the container, and means (110, 112, R1, R2, R3, R4) coupled to and interconnecting said reaction masses such that the reaction masses move generally up and down and such that when one mass moves up the other mass moves down and when the one mass moves down the other mass moves up.