I think English is the most "widely-spoken", but that doesn't mean that it is the native language of the most people (it isn't). It is, however, the language which has the most widespread use in world media, entertainment, politics, and communications, as far as I know, and that is probably an after-effect of the power of the British Empire and the later American pre-eminence in World affairs.

As was once the case with Latin, when Rome was at its zenith of power...and Greek before that.

- LH