how to bench test a 70 Dart instrument cluster?

So the cluster is out of the dash, Can I just use a 12v lantern battery from the hardware store to supply power? Can I just ground it to something big and metal in the shop (like a 700 lb metal shelf unit?).

Rig appropriate test resistances from the sensor terminals to ground, and see if the gauges follow.

How do you do that? I have a "multi-tester" but have never used it except to measure voltage. I don't really understand the concept of varying test resistances.