<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 03/31/96
000 C000000 0000836622
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 PUTNAM DIVERSIFIED INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5635
001 C000000 6172921562
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
007 B000000 0
007 C010100 1
007 C010200 2
007 C010300 3
007 C010400 4
007 C010500 5
007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
007 C011000 10
008 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02109
011 A000001 PUTNAM MUTUAL FUNDS CORP.
011 B000001 8-5088
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02109
012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 98
<PAGE> PAGE 2
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 TIEDMANN INT'L SERVICES INC
020 B000001 13-3506065
020 C000001 51
020 A000002 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
020 B000002 13-3082694
020 C000002 14
020 A000003 COMMONWEALTH EQUITY SERVICES, INC.
020 B000003 04-2675571
020 C000003 10
020 A000004 MERRIL LYNCH, PIERCE FENNER & SMITH, INC.
020 B000004 13-5674085
020 C000004 3
020 A000005 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
020 B000005 22-2347336
020 C000005 2
020 A000006 FIRST BOSTON CO.
020 B000006 13-5659485
020 C000006 1
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 82
022 A000001 GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKET
022 B000001 13-3172275
022 C000001 1920326
022 D000001 2046112
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 1750129
022 D000002 1642694
022 A000003 MERRIL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC
022 B000003 13-5674085
022 C000003 834444
022 D000003 587895
022 A000004 SALOMON BROTHERES INC.
022 B000004 13-3082694
022 C000004 520677
022 D000004 389248
022 A000005 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP
022 B000005 13-2741729
022 C000005 394941
022 D000005 419439
022 A000006 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000006 13-3224016
022 C000006 280447
022 D000006 253743
022 A000007 MORGAN GUARANTY TRUST CO. N.Y. (J.P.)
022 B000007 13-5123346
022 C000007 79389
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000007 195646
022 A000008 ABN AMRO SECURITIES INC.
022 B000008 13-3227945
022 C000008 122084
022 D000008 128257
022 A000009 PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INC.
022 B000009 22-2347336
022 C000009 163780
022 D000009 77037
022 A000010 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000010 13-5108880
022 C000010 74139
022 D000010 107938
023 C000000 6897306
023 D000000 6452779
024 000000 N
025 D000001 0
025 D000002 0
025 D000003 0
025 D000004 0
025 D000005 0
025 D000006 0
025 D000007 0
025 D000008 0
026 A000000 Y
026 B000000 Y
026 C000000 Y
026 D000000 Y
026 E000000 N
026 F000000 N
026 G010000 Y
026 G020000 Y
026 H000000 N
028 A010000 78853
028 A020000 12911
028 A030000 0
028 A040000 50915
028 B010000 80298
028 B020000 13132
028 B030000 0
028 B040000 51805
028 C010000 82435
028 C020000 12950
028 C030000 0
028 C040000 54654
028 D010000 118597
028 D020000 12919
028 D030000 0
028 D040000 66717
028 E010000 116650
028 E020000 13153
<PAGE> PAGE 4
028 E030000 0
028 E040000 60212
028 F010000 118381
028 F020000 13088
028 F030000 0
028 F040000 86645
028 G010000 595214
028 G020000 78153
028 G030000 0
028 G040000 370948
028 H000000 595214
029 000000 Y
030 A000000 5611
030 B000000 4.75
030 C000000 0.00
031 A000000 673
031 B000000 0
032 000000 4938
033 000000 0
034 000000 Y
035 000000 1838
036 A000000 N
036 B000000 0
037 000000 N
038 000000 0
039 000000 N
040 000000 Y
041 000000 Y
042 A000000 0
042 B000000 0
042 C000000 100
042 D000000 0
042 E000000 0
042 F000000 0
042 G000000 0
042 H000000 0
043 000000 11729
044 000000 0
045 000000 Y
046 000000 N
047 000000 Y
048 000000 0.000
048 A010000 500000
048 A020000 0.700
048 B010000 500000
048 B020000 0.600
048 C010000 500000
048 C020000 0.550
048 D010000 0
048 D020000 0.000
048 E010000 0
<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 E020000 0.000
048 F010000 0
048 F020000 0.000
048 G010000 0
048 G020000 0.000
048 H010000 0
048 H020000 0.000
048 I010000 0
048 I020000 0.000
048 J010000 0
048 J020000 0.000
048 K010000 1500000
048 K020000 0.500
049 000000 N
050 000000 N
051 000000 N
052 000000 N
053 B000000 N
053 C000000 N
054 A000000 Y
054 B000000 Y
054 C000000 Y
054 D000000 N
054 E000000 N
054 F000000 N
054 G000000 N
054 H000000 N
054 I000000 N
054 J000000 Y
054 K000000 N
054 L000000 Y
054 M000000 Y
054 N000000 N
054 O000000 N
055 A000000 N
055 B000000 N
056 000000 N
057 000000 N
058 A000000 N
059 000000 Y
060 A000000 Y
060 B000000 Y
061 000000 500
062 A000000 Y
062 B000000 0.0
062 C000000 1.1
062 D000000 4.1
062 E000000 0.0
062 F000000 0.0
062 G000000 0.3
062 H000000 0.0
<PAGE> PAGE 6
062 I000000 5.8
062 J000000 0.0
062 K000000 0.0
062 L000000 0.0
062 M000000 10.2
062 N000000 23.6
062 O000000 0.0
062 P000000 34.2
062 Q000000 31.5
062 R000000 0.0
063 A000000 0
063 B000000 8.5
064 A000000 N
064 B000000 Y
065 000000 N
066 A000000 N
067 000000 N
068 A000000 N
068 B000000 N
069 000000 N
070 A010000 Y
070 A020000 Y
070 B010000 N
070 B020000 N
070 C010000 Y
070 C020000 Y
070 D010000 N
070 D020000 Y
070 E010000 Y
070 E020000 N
070 F010000 N
070 F020000 N
070 G010000 Y
070 G020000 N
070 H010000 N
070 H020000 N
070 I010000 N
070 I020000 N
070 J010000 Y
070 J020000 Y
070 K010000 Y
070 K020000 N
070 L010000 Y
070 L020000 Y
070 M010000 Y
070 M020000 Y
070 N010000 Y
070 N020000 N
070 O010000 Y
070 O020000 N
070 P010000 Y
<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 P020000 N
070 Q010000 N
070 Q020000 N
070 R010000 N
070 R020000 N
071 A000000 6569961
071 B000000 6250353
071 C000000 3375880
071 D000000 185
072 A000000 6
072 B000000 144592
072 C000000 1725
072 D000000 0
072 E000000 0
072 F000000 9885
072 G000000 22
072 H000000 0
072 I000000 2055
072 J000000 298
072 K000000 109
072 L000000 67
072 M000000 39
072 N000000 78
072 O000000 0
072 P000000 0
072 Q000000 0
072 R000000 68
072 S000000 101
072 T000000 11729
072 U000000 0
072 V000000 0
072 W000000 62
072 X000000 24513
072 Y000000 0
072 Z000000 121804
072AA000000 69464
072BB000000 0
072CC010000 0
072CC020000 36574
072DD010000 63150
072DD020000 65589
072EE000000 0
073 A010000 0.4600
073 A020000 0.4200
073 B000000 0.0000
073 C000000 0.0000
074 A000000 792
074 B000000 153532
074 C000000 268707
074 D000000 1267471
074 E000000 86232
<PAGE> PAGE 8
074 F000000 37872
074 G000000 0
074 H000000 0
074 I000000 2314638
074 J000000 85468
074 K000000 0
074 L000000 82224
074 M000000 0
074 N000000 4296936
074 O000000 458229
074 P000000 8941
074 Q000000 0
074 R010000 0
074 R020000 0
074 R030000 0
074 R040000 94962
074 S000000 0
074 T000000 3734804
074 U010000 141203
074 U020000 165737
074 V010000 12.09
074 V020000 12.04
074 W000000 0.0000
074 X000000 179260
074 Y000000 0
075 A000000 0
075 B000000 3062614
076 000000 0.00
077 A000000 Y
077 B000000 Y
077 C000000 N
077 D000000 N
077 E000000 N
077 F000000 N
077 G000000 N
077 H000000 N
077 I000000 N
077 J000000 N
077 K000000 N
077 L000000 N
077 M000000 N
077 N000000 N
077 O000000 N
077 P000000 N
077 Q010000 Y
077 Q020000 N
077 Q030000 N
078 000000 N
080 A000000 FEDERAL INSURANCE COMPANY
080 B000000 NATIONAL UNION FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
080 C000000 50000
<PAGE> PAGE 9
081 A000000 Y
081 B000000 97
082 A000000 N
082 B000000 0
083 A000000 N
083 B000000 0
084 A000000 N
084 B000000 0
085 A000000 Y
085 B000000 N
SIGNATURE PAUL BUCAVALAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam Diversified Income Trust Class A AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEPT-30-95
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-96
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 4,135,406,907 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,128,452,4
70
<RECEIVABLES> 167,691,189
<ASSETS-OTHER> 792,426
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,296,936,085
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 458,229,459
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 103,902,930
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 562,132,389
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,807,537,377
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 141,202,873
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 133,203,022
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (11,757,995)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (50,337,294)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (10,638,392)
<NET-ASSETS> 3,734,803,696
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,724,647
<INTEREST-INCOME> 144,592,404
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 24,513,140
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 121,803,911
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 69,464,349
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (36,574,428)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 154,693,832
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (63,149,973)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 19,425,099
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (14,757,186)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3,331,938
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 327,562,143
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (4,013,314)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (119,801,643)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 9,884,676
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 25,094,502
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,665,490,538
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.99
<PER-SHARE-NII> .44
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .12
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.46)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.09
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .50
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
??
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam Diversified Income Trust Class B AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEPT-30-95
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-96
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 4,135,406,907 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,128,452,4
70
<RECEIVABLES> 167,691,189
<ASSETS-OTHER> 792,426
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,296,936,085
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 458,229,459
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 103,902,930
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 562,132,389
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,807,537,377
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 165,737,386
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 150,281,723
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (11,757,995)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (50,337,294)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (10,638,392)
<NET-ASSETS> 3,734,803,696
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,724,647
<INTEREST-INCOME> 144,592,404
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 24,513,140
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 121,803,911
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 69,464,349
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (36,574,428)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 154,693,832
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (65,588,812)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 27,617,786
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (15,444,685)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3,282,562
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 327,562,143
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (4,013,314)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (119,801,643)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 9,884,676
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 25,094,502
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,914,681,920
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.95
<PER-SHARE-NII> .39
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .12
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.42)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.04
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .87
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
?? ^
</TABLE>
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM Putnam Diversified Income Trust Class M AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS
ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEPT-30-95
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-96
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 4,135,406,907 <INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,128,452,4
70
<RECEIVABLES> 167,691,189
<ASSETS-OTHER> 792,426
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,296,936,085
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 458,229,459
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 103,902,930
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 562,132,389
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 3,807,537,377
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 2,636,578
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,232,012
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (11,757,995)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (50,337,294)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (10,638,392)
<NET-ASSETS> 3,734,803,696
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,724,647
<INTEREST-INCOME> 144,592,404
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 24,513,140
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 121,803,911
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 69,464,349
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (36,574,428)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 154,693,832
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (809,807)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 1,650,629
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (296,640)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 50,577
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 327,562,143
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (4,013,314)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (119,801,643)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 9,884,676
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 25,094,502
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 22,441,298
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 11.97
<PER-SHARE-NII> .42
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> .13
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.45)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.07
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .62
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
?? ^
</TABLE>
