Spoke has two main meanings:

1. The past tense of “speak.” When you tell someone what you said yesterday, you explain that you spoke to them. “I spoke to my teacher about the assignment” means the conversation already happened. If you've read about historical figures, you might learn that Abraham Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg or that Susan B. Anthony spoke out for women's rights.
2. One of the thin rods that connects the center of a wheel to its outer rim. Bicycle wheels have spokes radiating outward from the hub like the rays of the sun. Each spoke helps support the wheel's weight and keep it round. Wagon wheels used to have thick wooden spokes, while modern bike wheels use thin metal ones. You can count a wheel's spokes by touching each one as it passes. Most bike wheels have between 24 and 36 spokes. When a spoke breaks, the wheel becomes wobbly and weak, showing how every spoke matters to the wheel's strength. This wheel design has been used for thousands of years because it's both strong and lightweight.