What does 'take on' mean?

Three main meanings:

1. Accept responsibility or extra work:
"She took on more clients than she could handle."
"I've taken on too much this month."

2. Challenge or confront:
"He took on the entire committee."
"Don't take on someone twice your size."

3. Hire staff:
"The company is taking on new employees."
"We took on three developers last month."

4. Take on a quality (become):
"The situation took on a more serious tone."
"Her voice took on a different quality."

Which is most common? Meaning 1 (accepting responsibility/work) is the most frequently used in professional contexts.

Register: Casual to professional. All meanings are standard in conversation and business contexts.

Tags: phrasal verbs, multiple meanings, responsibility, workplace