Yeah I know what you mean, I did a beginner Pali language course and it really emphsised that most words don't translate to English smoothly, and one word, like Upadana, has elements of the word 'attachment', and as you said, 'clinging' and 'grasping', also 'holding'.
And when you translate the English word attachment back to Pali, you need to consider other words before it translates to Upadana. Including the word 'Pema' which, when you translate it back to English, means attachment and love.

Hmmm, I need to get introspective for a while...