This exploratory study examines the influence of context on interaction patterns homeless mothers use with their preschool children during book-reading and game-playing. The study also looks at the impact of mothers' previously determined language functioning on their contextual use of facilitating language utterances. Using a prospective, nonrandomized, comparison group design, mothers read a book and played a game with their preschool children. Regardless of their language functioning, overall maternal use of facilitating utterances was less than 50%. The study provides an initial framework for future research investigating the interactions of families who are homeless and discusses possible language interventions for these at-risk families. (Authors)