Any bike will work fine for commuting, and older bikes can be fixed so they work like new pretty cheaply. However, if you have some money to spend on a road bike, I would recommend a 'gravel bike', 'cross bike', or 'endurance' road bike. These are all variations on the traditional road bike (the ones made strictly for racing), but are generally more comfortable to ride.

If you want more specific recommendations, post your budget and that will make things easier.