This article gives an overview on lithium alloys and lithium alloying metals for use as anodes in ambient temperature rechargeable lithium batteries. After a brief introduction about advantages and drawbacks of lithium alloy anodes and a chronological review of their development, principle concepts to overcome the problems with the dimensional stability of the metallic host materials will be presented. Recent work on promising multiphase (composite and/or intermetallic) tin-based lithium alloying materials will be highlighted.