If ATC ask you to be level, for example FL270 BY RESNO, what they really want is you to be level 5 miles before that point.
No, if ATC really want you to be level 5 miles before a point, they'll ask for it, if they really want it and don't issue an instruction to that effect then the controller is being shoddy. We don't work in an environment where we say one thing but mean something else.