An image reading apparatus comprises: reading means for reading an image recorded on a sheet; detecting means for detecting plural kinds of patterns from the read image; storing means for storing processing information used in processing to be executed, in a manner corresponding to pattern information concerning a combination of patterns; means for acquiring information concerning a combination of detected patterns on the basis of a detection result when said detecting means detects a pattern from each of the images read from a plurality of sheets; means for searching for the acquired information in the pattern information stored in said storing means; means for reading from said storing means the processing information stored in a manner corresponding to the pattern information, when the pattern information has been found by the above-mentioned means; and means for executing said processing using the read processing information.