lean, lien

Lean or lean means thin, said of a person--
"He's a lean, green, fighting machine--a marine."
She's looking lean and trim.
Lean means without fat, or with little fat, when used to describe meat--
The lean beef is more expensive.
"Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean..."
Lean may mean hard-up, or lacking money, when used to refer to finances--
"..seven lean years..."
She always remembered the lean times of the depression.
Lean also means to rest against, to bend over, or to rely on--
Lean on the fence if you're tired.
Lean the ladder against the fence.
Lean over--I can't hear you.
"Lean on me, when you're not strong..."
Lean may mean to slant towards something, literally or figuratively--
The house seems to lean to the left a bit.
They lean toward the more liberal candidates.

Lien or lien ( rhymes with lean ) means the right to sell or hold real property, such as a house, for a claim or debt--
The bank settled their debt with a lien against their house.
The buyer of a house may not realize that there is a lien against the property.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"Their lean financial circumstances made a lien against their house necessary."

Note--"a lien" ( two words ) means the right to sell someone's property--
There is a lien against the house.
Not to be confused with "alien" ( one word--ale ee en ), meaning a foreigner, or a being from another planet--
ET is my favorite alien.
Note # 2--someone may "lean" against a house--
Don't lean against the house; the paint is still wet.
Not to be confused with "a lien" against a house--
There is a lien against this house that will have to be paid before we can settle.