take on in WordNet English dictionary

1. admit into a group or community
   "accept students for graduate study"; "We'll have to vote on whether or not to admit a new member"
   accept  admit  take  take on 
   
2. take on a certain form, attribute, or aspect
   "His voice took on a sad tone"; "The story took a new turn"; "he adopted an air of superiority"; "She assumed strange manners"; "The gods assume human or animal form in these fables"
   assume  acquire  adopt  take on  take 
   
3. take on titles, offices, duties, responsibilities
   "When will the new President assume office?"
   assume  adopt  take on  take over 
   
4. contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle
   "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"
   meet  encounter  play  take on 
   
5. accept as a challenge
   "I'll tackle this difficult task"
   undertake  tackle  take on 
   

take on in English Wiktionary