  Production of $\phi$ mesons is considered in the course of heavy-ion
collisions at SPS energies. We investigate the possible difference in momentum
distributions of $\phi$ mesons measured via their leptonic ($\mu^+\mu^-$) and
hadronic ($K^+K^-$) decays. Rescattering of secondary kaons in the dense hadron
gas together with the influence of in-medium kaon potential can lead to a
relative decrease of a $\phi$ yield observed in the hadronic channel. We
analyze how the in-medium modifications of meson properties affect apparent -
reconstructed momentum distributions of $\phi$ mesons. Quantitative results are
presented for central Pb+Pb collisions at $E_{beam}=158 GeV/A$.
