BTW a DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) has dropped in price considerably, an "inexpensive" Harbor Freight one this weekend costs $1.99 in the holiday brochure. Normally they are $9.99 and really can't beat the price of admission and worthy of being placed in an accessible area of your toolbox. A simple electronics/electrical primer:
Volts - connect + to positive (red), - to negative (black) across live terminals, in parallel, as it samples 1,000,000th or less of the electrical energy present without disturbing functions. It measures electric voltages up to a few hundred volts, but not the high tension secondary ignition voltages which can be 15-30kV (pressure if you use water in the hose analogy).
Ohms - resistance - measures electrical "restriction" in ohms...for testing non-powered electrical circuit paths for continuity ( 0 ohms = short) 1.999 = open or over resistance range, (hose diameter/restriction if you use water in the hose analogy).
Milli-Amps - "1,000ths of an Ampere used for measuring electrical charge volume or flow by breaking the circuit, in series (a shunt inside allows very little sampled proportional current to flow, but a bit inconvenient because you have to find a key place to break circuit (here is where breakout boxes are handy for terminal access). Observing + and - polarity AND keeping in mind that maximum scale only allows maximum reading of about 10 Amperes (not very much, so don't use this scale for measuring current any higher than simple light bulbs (use water flow volume - if you use water in hose analogy). For higher currents, it is more convenient to use a digital "Amp Clamp" which can be had for considerably more money.