As a candidate anode material for lithium ion batteries, tin (Sn) has attracted much research attention because of its much higher specific capacity and safety than that of commercially used graphite. This article first introduces the lithium storage properties of Sn-based anodes and their key issues which needed to be solved for practical application. It has been pointed out that combining the Sn with other materials, and tuning the composition, dimension and dispersion of the phases, is an important strategy to enhance the cycling performance of Sn-based anodes. We review the recent research progress on Sn-metal oxide multi-phase composite anode materials, focusing on the influence of synergistic effects between Sn and metal oxides on the electrochemical properties of electrodes. Finally, it has been emphasized that the initial Coulombic efficiency of the Sn-metal oxide composite anodes need to be pay more attention and further improved.