[Grammar] That hall was once used for

[Oceanlike]

If I change the word "used" and replace it with "initially", does the meaning change?

(a) That hall was once used for holding general meetings.
(b) That hall was initially used for holding general meetings.

 

[emsr2d2]

If I change the word "used" [strike]and replace it with[/strike] to "initially", does the meaning change?

Yes, the meaning changes.

In sentence a, we know only that at some point in the past, it was used for general meetings, and it is no longer used that way.
In sentence b, we know that holding general meetings was the first use of the hall.

What is a "general meeting"?

Note my correction above. We change something to/into something else. If you wanted to use "and replace it with", you needed to start with "If I remove ...".

 

[Oceanlike]

Oh! I should have just used "meetings". The word "general" is useless.

Thank you very much for your correction!