40 “What Am I?” Riddles With Answers
Guess from the clues — tap any riddle to reveal its answer.
“What am I?” riddles are the purest form of the game: a handful of clever clues, one hidden answer. These 40 what am i riddles with answers give you poetic little descriptions of everyday objects, animals, and wonders of nature — your job is to name the thing hiding behind the words. Every riddle ends with the famous question, and every answer is just a tap away.
How to play: read the clues out loud, make your guess, then tap the riddle to reveal the answer. These what am i riddles with answers are perfect for road trips, classrooms, family dinners, and party games, because everyone can play — no special knowledge required, just sharp eyes and a curious mind.
All 40 riddles are original, family-friendly, and written in clear, vivid language. See how many you can solve before peeking — and share your score with friends!
All 40 riddles
1. I have a bed but I never sleep, a mouth but I never eat, and I run though I have no legs. What am I?
Answer: A river.
2. I have keys but I open no locks. I have space but no room. What am I?
Answer: A keyboard.
3. I have hands that never clap and a face that never smiles, yet I tell you everything about your day. What am I?
Answer: A clock.
4. The more I dry, the wetter I get. What am I?
Answer: A towel.
5. I have a neck but no head, and I always wear a cap. What am I?
Answer: A bottle.
6. I have teeth but I never bite. What am I?
Answer: A comb.
7. I have a thumb and four fingers, but I am not alive. What am I?
Answer: A glove.
8. I have a head and a tail, but no body at all. What am I?
Answer: A coin.
9. I have one eye but I cannot see. What am I?
Answer: A needle.
10. I have branches but no leaves, and I keep money safe. What am I?
Answer: A bank.
11. I have a spine but no bones, and I whisper stories without a voice. What am I?
Answer: A book.
12. I have a heart that never beats and leaves you cannot rake. What am I?
Answer: An artichoke.
13. I have a tongue but I never taste, and I have laces I never tie. What am I?
Answer: A shoe.
14. I ring, but I have no finger to wear it on. What am I?
Answer: A telephone.
15. I have four legs but I never walk, and I hold your dinner every night. What am I?
Answer: A table.
16. I have wings but I cannot fly — I swim through icy water instead. What am I?
Answer: A penguin.
17. I am tall when I am young and short when I am old. What am I?
Answer: A candle.
18. I am always coming, but I never arrive. What am I?
Answer: Tomorrow.
19. I am always in front of you, but you can never see me. What am I?
Answer: The future.
20. I float without wings and I pop without a sound. What am I?
Answer: A bubble.
21. I go up when the rain comes down. What am I?
Answer: An umbrella.
22. I run around the whole yard, but I never take a step. What am I?
Answer: A fence.
23. I have cities but no houses, forests but no trees. What am I?
Answer: A map.
24. I speak without a mouth and I hear without ears. What am I?
Answer: An echo.
25. I start with T, I end with T, and I am full of T. What am I?
Answer: A teapot.
26. I am black when you buy me, red when you use me, and gray when you throw me away. What am I?
Answer: Charcoal.
27. I am white when I am dirty and black when I am clean. What am I?
Answer: A blackboard.
28. I have 88 keys but I open no doors. What am I?
Answer: A piano.
29. I hold thirteen hearts but not a single beat. What am I?
Answer: A deck of cards.
30. Turn me once and I keep things out; turn me twice and I keep things in. What am I?
Answer: A key.
31. I am easy to get into but hard to get out of. What am I?
Answer: Trouble.
32. I am not alive, but I can die. What am I?
Answer: A battery.
33. I fly without wings and I never land. What am I?
Answer: Time.
34. I have a face that never gets older. What am I?
Answer: A photograph.
35. I belong to you, but others use me more than you do. What am I?
Answer: Your name.
36. I get bigger the more you take away from me. What am I?
Answer: A hole.
37. I disappear the moment you say my name. What am I?
Answer: Silence.
38. I am always hungry and I must always be fed. What am I?
Answer: A fire.
39. I have roots that no one can see, yet I tower over the trees. What am I?
Answer: A mountain.
40. I shave every day, but my beard never changes. What am I?
Answer: A barber.
Frequently asked questions
What is a “what am I” riddle? A “what am I” riddle describes something through clever clues without naming it, ending with the question “What am I?” You guess the answer from the description. This page collects 40 original ones with hidden answers.
Are the answers included? Yes. Each riddle's answer is hidden — tap or click any riddle to reveal it after you've made your guess.
Are these riddles good for kids? Yes, they're family-friendly and written in clear language. Younger kids may enjoy them read aloud with a grown-up, while older kids and adults will love the trickier ones.