The 'mean' you wrote of Helen, is short for 'mean with money' as I see it (i.e. miserly, tight mingy), but if someone says 'He's a mean old man!' without much other information, most would probably think it implies two meanings in one, stingy (lack of means) and hateful.

Conversation:
Girl: What's that old man doing?
Boy: That mean man means to steal that mean man's mean wallet content daily, as a means to live. Know wot I mean luv?
Girl: By all means.