Excel file linking issues - Excel retaining memory of files after closure

Hello everyone,

I'm running into an issue with Excel links (placed in a Word doc) that don't open when I double-click them in Word. To form the links, I first created a table with text and numbers in Excel, highlighted the table, clicked "copy," selected a place in a Word doc, clicked "Paste" > "Paste Special" > "Paste Link" > "Microsoft Excel Worksheet Object." Typically, this process shows the image of the table, and then, when double-clicked, the corresponding Excel file will open, allowing me to create changes as needed.

Sometimes, double-clicking the linked table will result in nothing happening, other times it shows an error message, saying its locked for editing by myself, and asks if I want to open a "read-only" version. Unfortunately, when I check my desktop and toolbar, no Excel files appear to be open. Then, if I close all items I do have open (internet, Outlook, Word) and restart, upon logging back in, the offending Excel file automatically opens. 

Sadly, I do not know how to replicate the effect every single time. In fact, occasionally it all seems to work as it should, which leads me to believe it may be some setting on the particular Excel files in question, but I don't know. 

Any thoughts on how to fix this would be greatly welcome, since doing multiple restarts to my machine each day is not very conducive to great workflow. 

Thank you!

P.S. I am using Microsoft Home & Business 2016, if that matters.