* Literal: The firefighters used a smoke screen to obscure the building from the flames.
* Figurative: The politician's promises were a smoke screen to hide his true intentions.
* Metaphorical: The company's new product launch was a smoke screen to distract from their declining profits.
* Informal: He tried to use a smoke screen of excuses to avoid taking responsibility for the mistake.
The meaning of "smoke screen" can be literal (a cloud of smoke used for concealment) or figurative (something used to hide or disguise something else).