First, disconnect the power.
I would pick an outlet in about the middle of the string of non working outlets. Remove the outlet from the box and remove the hot wire from the outlet. Of course, the power is disconnected so the "hot" wire is not hot.
With your meter, see which wire, or side, has the short.
Next, repeat the above with an outlet about half way on the bad side. Keep repeating this until you have narrowed it down to the bad outlet.
Once you have found the bad outlet it should be easy to replace the outlet or repair the wiring.
Good luck.
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