loan, lone

Loan or loan is the noun ( thing or idea ) form of lend, meaning to give something, or the use of something, with the expectation that it will be returned--
They got a loan from the bank to finance repairs for their new home.
She was having trouble making the payments on her car loan.
He asked for the loan of his neighbor's hedge clippers.

Lone or lone ( rhymes with loan ) means the sole or only one, usually meaning a thing, person, or creature ( not an idea or concept )--
There is a lone duck swimming in the pond.
We liked to watch "The Lone Ranger" on TV when I was a child.

Now that you know that, you can say--
"They asked the neighbors for the loan of a ladder, so their house wouldn't be the lone undecorated one on the street."

Note--"alone" means by oneself; without another person present--
Can we talk? Are you alone?
Alone may also be used figuratively--
Money alone cannot bring happiness.
Not to be confused with "a loan"--
He didn't have any money, so he asked for a loan.
Not to be confused with "a lone"--
There is a lone star on the Texas state flag. Texas was once the Lone Star Republic.