Free printable riddles with answers worksheets - ESL Vault - Free Printable

Let's solve each riddle step by step:

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1. I am lighter than a feather but nobody can hold me for very long. What am I?

- Solution: Breath
- Explanation: Breath is lighter than a feather, and no one can hold their breath for a very long time.

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2. People like to make me, save me and change me. What am I?

- Solution: Money
- Explanation: People make money (earn it), save it in banks or wallets, and change it (exchange currency).

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3. What loses its head in the morning but gets it back at night?

- Solution: A pillow
- Explanation: A pillow "loses its head" when someone puts their head on it during the day, and it "gets its head back" when they remove it at night.

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4. I never ask any questions, but I am answered all the time. What am I?

- Solution: A doorbell
- Explanation: A doorbell doesn't ask questions, but people answer it by opening the door.

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5. I occur once in every minute, twice in every moment, and yet not once in a thousand years. What am I?

- Solution: The letter "M"
- Explanation: The word "minute" has one "M," the word "moment" has two "M"s, and the phrase "a thousand years" does not contain the letter "M."

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6. What has six faces and twenty-one eyes but cannot see?

- Solution: A die (plural: dice)
- Explanation: A standard die has six faces, and if you count the pips (dots) on all six faces, there are 21 dots in total. However, a die cannot see.

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7. What goes across countries, through cities, towns, and fields, but never moves?

- Solution: A road
- Explanation: Roads span across different locations but do not move themselves.

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8. I have 13 hearts, but no brains or body. What am I?

- Solution: A deck of playing cards
- Explanation: A standard deck of playing cards has 13 hearts (one suit), but it has no brain or body.

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9. What jumps when walking and sits when standing?

- Solution: A kangaroo
- Explanation: Kangaroos jump when they walk and sit on their hind legs when they stand still.

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10. What is heavy forwards but not backwards?

- Solution: Ton
- Explanation: "Ton" spelled forward is "ton," which is heavy. Spelled backward, it becomes "not," which is the opposite of heavy.

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11. What do you bury when it is alive and dig up when it is dead?

- Solution: A chicken egg
- Explanation: You bury an egg (alive with a developing embryo) and dig it up after it hatches (when the embryo is "dead").

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12. What gets bigger the more you take from it?

- Solution: A hole
- Explanation: The more you take from a hole (e.g., dig into it), the bigger it becomes.

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13. What can go up a chimney when it is down but can't go down a chimney when it is up?

- Solution: An umbrella
- Explanation: An umbrella can be opened (goes "up") when it is closed ("down"), but it cannot be closed ("goes down") when it is open ("up").

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14. A cowboy rode into town on a Friday and rode out 2 days later on a Friday. How was this possible?

- Solution: His horse's name was Friday
- Explanation: The cowboy rode his horse named "Friday" into town on a Friday and rode out on the same horse two days later, also on a Friday.

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15. A window cleaner was working on a 20-story building. He slipped and fell off his ladder, but wasn't hurt. How was this possible?

- Solution: He fell off the first step of the ladder
- Explanation: If he fell off the first step of the ladder, he would only fall a short distance and likely not get hurt.

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Final Answers:

1. Breath
2. Money
3. Pillow
4. Doorbell
5. The letter "M"
6. A die
7. A road
8. A deck of playing cards
9. A kangaroo
10. Ton
11. A chicken egg
12. A hole
13. An umbrella
14. His horse's name was Friday
15. He fell off the first step of the ladder

Boxed Final Answer:
\[
\boxed{
\text{1. Breath, 2. Money, 3. Pillow, 4. Doorbell, 5. M, 6. Die, 7. Road, 8. Deck of cards, 9. Kangaroo, 10. Ton, 11. Chicken egg, 12. Hole, 13. Umbrella, 14. Horse named Friday, 15. First step of ladder}
}
\]