Definitions of crane:

• noun:   large long-necked wading bird of marshes and plains in many parts of the world
• noun:   lifts and moves heavy objects; lifting tackle is suspended from a pivoted boom that rotates around a vertical axis
• noun:   United States poet (1899-1932)
• noun:   United States writer (1871-1900)
• verb:   stretch (the neck) so as to see better

  Example: "The women craned their necks to see the President drive by"

• name:  A surname (common: 1 in 7142 families; popularity rank in the U.S.: #843)