Multimeter giving seemingly inconsistent voltage readings
First, if you don't know what voltage you are dealing with, you should set your multimeter to the highest voltage range available and go down until you get an acceptable accuracy.
Failing to do so, it is quite possible to damage your multimeter with a voltage 10x the range or more. It may as well be safe - depending on the multimeter. You didn't say your multimeter model.
In your particular case, it looks like your multimeter is broken or you are doing something profoundly wrong.
A sane multimeter connected properly to a fresh 1.5 AA battery will show:
200 mV : 1 (overloaded) - CORRECT
2000 mV : 1580 - MAYBE CORRECT
20 V : 2.56 - WRONG, it should be 1.58 or near it.
200 V : 12.4 - WAY TOO WRONG, it should be around 1.6
1000 V : 111 - if you can touch it without dying or at least swearing out loud, it is not 111V

What could be wrong?

Multimeter battery is depleted. Some of these have &quot;low battery&quot; indicator while others don't have one. A lot of $10 multimeters will show &quot;low battery&quot; if the battery is near end and not show anything about the battery if it gets even lower.

You are using AC setting for 20/200/2000 range instead of DC and the multimeter is one of those for $10

You have a great deal of electromagnetic interference from other power equipment in your place.