This picture above shows the range of difference between various scales.
“Scale” refers to the relative size of the replica toy to the actual vehicle, expressed as a fraction or a ratio. The large toy tractor is 1/16 the size of the actual tractor. Every inch on the replica equals 16 inches on the real tractor. The larger the scale, the smaller the denominator; a 1/16 scale toy is much larger than a 1/87.
“Scale” doesn’t refer to actual size. For example, a 1/16 scale toy could measure 8, 12, or 14 inches long.