A novel and facile approach of preparing ZnBi38O58 nanostructures was developed utilizing the amino acid assisted sol-gel combustion route. In this study, the mixtures of various gelling agents and amino acids as fuel and different molar ratios of amino acid to total metals have been employed to prepare the nanostructured ZnBi38O58 with sphere-like, plate-like, cubic-like and polyhedral-like morphologies. The formation of as-synthesized nanocrystalline ZnBi38O58 and its elemental composition, shape, structure and optical characteristics are analyzed utilizing UV-Vis, FESEM, FT-IR, XRD and EDS. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of as produced ZnBi38O58 nanostructures with different morphologies was studied by degradation of acid blue 92 dye as water contaminant under visible light irradiation.