Do I need a separate clamp meter or can a regular multimeter measure current?

Standard multimeters measure current in series through their input jacks, typically capped at 10A and protected by an internal fuse, which is impractical and unsafe for branch-circuit work. A clamp meter (or a combo kit like the Fluke 117/323) reads current inductively around a single conductor without breaking the circuit, which is what electricians actually need for service work.