My word documents on my macbook say 0kb and it shows as a blank document.

My experience with this exact situation is it's rare but does happen.

What I did at one time or another:

Searched for the file by name. What I was attempting to open was an alias pointing to the wrong location. Once I found the file, I moved it to my Documents folder, deleted the old alias and created a new alias. Of course when I was still using Windows the term was "shortcut".

Some versions of MS Office products create backups something like every 8 minutes by default. If your version does, search for the backup. I seem to recall the files extension was not the typical .docx or .doc.

Use the "Enter Time Machine" option (or used the backup method of choice at the time) and search for the latest copy with data.

One or the other always worked for me and all three have worked at least once. I've been a Word user since the early '80s. This sort of thing was always maddening.

Have you searched for them on your internal drive?

Have you investigated if your version of Word has the auto backup feature?

TimeMachine is the Apple app, are you using a different backup app?

TimeMachine has been a standard feature of every Mac now for many years. Do you mean you made no backups of any kind?

You have a backup app ... TimeMachine; it's a part of your system. Now is the time to start using it. Actually, starting now is a bit late, but if you have emerging problems, this Word issue may be the first warning.

I assume you didn't find Word created backups.

Download and run EtreCheck Pro and post the report here. I feel this is a long shot but maybe some flaw will be revealed.

If EtreCheck shows nothing , I think it's time you talked to Microsoft and sough their advice.

If all else has failed, backup using TimeMachine, verify the backups are good and reinstall the OS via the Recovery Panel. That reinstallation will not disturb your settings, data or apps. But backup first. At the very least make copies of all your critical files. Onto an external HDD, a flash drive ... something.

Reinstallation of your OS may not fix you Word issue, but it will eliminate one variable, i.e. a possibly damage OS.