Working on the hypothesis that if readers had several alternative correct meanings of a given text set before them they would select the one in accordance with their abstract abilities and intellectual maturity, a study investigated the measurement of levels of meaning as illustrated in taxonomies and focused on the applicability of the taxonomies to various levels of reading ability. Sixty-three eleventh grade students reading at high, middle, and low levels read a selection from "Tom Sawyer" silently and were asked to choose the best of three answers for each of six multiple choice questions. The answers to the questions were formulated at each of three levels: abstract, functional, and concrete. Abstract comprehension represented a style in which the reader got a broader scope of the information by distinguishing between specific features of a reading selection; functional comprehension represented a style that discriminated specifics of the selection; and concrete comprehension represented a style in which the reader discriminated only factual details and no more. Results showed that the high reading-level group chose the abstract answer for 71% of the choices, functional 15%, and concrete 14%. The middle reading group chose the abstract answer for 56% of their choices, functional 26%, and concrete 14%. The low reading group chose the abstract answer for 34% of their choices, functional 32% and concrete 34%. (HOD)