This article presents an effective approach to polysemous-word acquisition based on cognitive linguistics. Although it may be true that most vocabulary is acquired through incidental learning, acquiring words through inferring from context is not necessarily the most effective or efficient method in instructional setting. Results of a series of vocabulary tests involving Chinese learners of English show that providing a core sense leads to better guessing and long-term retention of figurative senses of polysemous words. In this article, some practical implications are suggested for reference.
