Some parents use TV as a mean of keeping their children quiet.
Some parents use TV as a means of keeping their children quiet.
When means means ‘a way or method of doing something’, use a means of + noun/-ing: ‘Email is an important means of communication.’ ‘They use music as a means of expressing their feelings.’
The singular and plural forms are the same: ‘a means of communication’, ‘several means of communication’.
The means to do something can also mean the money or resources needed to do it: ‘We don’t have the means to buy a house.’ ‘Many families lack the means to pay for private education.’