Qara means to call, call out, proclaim, summon, or read aloud. It appears about 730 times. It covers calling by name, proclamation, summoning, and public reading.
God calls creation into being ('He called the light Day'), calls individuals by name (Abraham, Moses, Samuel), and calls His people to Himself. The prophetic act of proclaiming God's word uses qara. 'Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved' (Joel 2:32) grounds salvation in responsive calling.