A numerical controller in which a servo motor is used selectively for position control or speed control. A distribution processing unit (3) forms a position instruction signal based on a part program (1) decoded by a decode processing unit (2). A mode control processing and speed instruction unit (41) or PMC (5) forms a mode signal and a speed instruction signal. A servo control processing unit (71) drives a servo motor (9) based on a mode signal, position instruction signal and speed instruction signal that are input through an axis control processing unit (61).