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5-letter words with L as the 1st letter and L as the 5th letter

5-letter words starting and ending with L: 13 matches, from familiar picks like LOCAL and LEVEL to less common entries such as LAHAL.

13 wordsTop pick LOCALHighest score LEVEL 8

6 of 13 are everyday words (46%). A friendly list: most players will know the top picks.

With L in 1st place, S is the most common 5th letter (197 words). The bar under each letter shows the size of its list.

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Best words to play first 13 · most-used first

All valid words 13

A to Z. Includes rare and Collins-only words. Linked tiles open the word's meaning, score and rhymes.

Letters by positionIn 54% of these words the 4th letter is E.
2nd letter
  1. O38%
  2. A23%
  3. E23%
3rd letter
  1. B15%
  2. R15%
  3. S15%
4th letter
  1. E54%
  2. A38%
  3. O8%

Highest-scoring words

Scrabble and Words With Friends points, before board bonuses
WordScrabbleWords With FriendsDictionaries
LEVEL811All three
LOYAL89All three
LYSOL89Collins only
LAHAL89NWL only
LOCAL710All three
LABEL710All three
LIBEL710All three
LAPEL710All three
LEMEL710Collins only
LEGAL69All three
LORAL57All three
LOREL57Collins only

This pattern is tighter than a general L-word search: each answer must begin with L and return to L in its final slot. LOCAL, LEVEL, LEGAL, LABEL, and LOYAL are recognizable options; other entries include less familiar forms. Six of the 13 meet word-frequency common-word frequency cutoff, making this a short pool with a clear split between everyday vocabulary and tougher discoveries.

The L-at-both-ends pattern at a glance

  • Exactly 13 tournament-dictionary words fit the pattern L _ _ _ L.
  • LOCAL, LEVEL, LEGAL, LABEL, and LOYAL are familiar examples.
  • Six of the 13 qualify as common by word-frequency frequency measure.
  • LEVEL, LOYAL, LYSOL, and LAHAL each score 8 points.
  • Collins includes 12 matches; NWL2023 includes 10, and ENABLE includes 9.

Which words start and end with L?

LOCAL, LEVEL, LEGAL, LABEL, and LOYAL are good first checks when both ends are fixed. They are easy to recognize, and each keeps the middle three letters open for your remaining clues. LIBEL and LAPEL add two more familiar-looking options if those letters fit.

LEVEL has a neat extra property: it reads the same backward, so its center letters mirror the outside pair. The rest of the list does not share that feature. For comparison, the pattern with S first and L last has 79 matches, far more than this 13-word group.

How should you use these L-ending matches?

For 5-letter words starting and ending with L, check the middle letters before reaching for an obscure option. LEVEL and LOYAL tie for the top score with LYSOL and LAHAL, at 8 points apiece; LOCAL, LABEL, LIBEL, and LAPEL each score 7. A high tile score does not make every entry equally likely in ordinary play.

The dictionary split is a real limitation: 13 words make the combined list, but ENABLE contains 9 and NWL2023 contains 10. Check your game's word list before playing a less familiar choice such as LAHAL or LOREL. Treat the familiar examples as clue matches, not proof that every candidate is accepted in your version.

Questions people ask

How many five-letter words start and end with L?
There are 13 five-letter words with L in both the first and last positions. The familiar examples include LOCAL, LEVEL, LEGAL, LABEL, and LOYAL. The full set draws from several tournament dictionaries, so acceptance can differ by game.
Which L-at-both-ends word has the highest score?
LEVEL, LOYAL, LYSOL, and LAHAL tie for the top score at 8 points each. LOCAL, LABEL, LIBEL, and LAPEL score 7. Board bonuses can change a play's total, but those are the highest base scores among these matches.
Are all 13 words accepted in every word game?
No, the dictionary counts differ: Collins has 12 matches, NWL2023 has 10, and ENABLE has 9. That matters most for less familiar entries such as LAHAL and LOREL. Check the word list used by your game before submitting one.

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