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The phrase makes things seem so simple, they're spirits who control the elements, as if people haven't been redefining words since language was created by reusing them before making up new ones. As changeable as elemental spirits are, is it any wonder that they look at the current definitions to decide what they're directed to control at any point in time. With 3 mostly vague meanings and another scientific one, of course it was unclear still what they might be able to control.
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An essential or characteristic part of something abstract
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A small but significant amount of a feeling or quality
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the rudiments of a subject
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a chemical substance that can't be broken down into other substances.
Hawkins has an over abundance of elemental spirits, or that's the theory as to why the party fighting the upside down keep blurring the line between human and elemental. They aren't limited for a moment by an idea of that limiting their powers to things like water, fire, air, earth or however people try to claim the 'natural' elements should be classed.
Take Will for example, the first to blur the lines. He's tied to communication and sound but only so far as he focuses. Dustin is still annoyed he didn't help to contact Susie when he came back from camp, despite never actually asking for it and already having dragged their friends up the hill boasting about how far his gadget would make him able to contact her.
Then there's Steve who find the type of elemental powers he received ironic given he got them by attacking and injuring the upside down animals. He has influence over wildlife, mostly if the animals have family groups, live in colonies or hives. It does help Steve be certain that he won't have ants from the crumbs the kids drop anytime they get together anywhere. Eddie jokes that he'd always had these powers and it's how he became the school king.