* Literal: "The children came in from playing in the mud with grubby hands and clothes."
* Figurative: "After a long day of dealing with difficult clients, the lawyer felt grubby and discouraged."
* Informal: "That old, dusty book was full of grubby fingerprints."
* Humorous: "My cat, who clearly considers himself above such things, will only sleep on grubby, well-worn blankets."