Here's the catch: In most cases, the antecedent of "what" is implied, not explicitly stated.
Here are some examples:
* "What did you eat for breakfast?" Here, the antecedent of "what" is "the thing you ate for breakfast".
* "What is your favorite color?" Here, the antecedent of "what" is "your favorite color".
* "What time is it?" Here, the antecedent of "what" is "the current time".
Essentially, "what" acts as a placeholder for the unknown information being sought.