<PAGE> PAGE 1
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011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
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012 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTOR SERVICES
012 B000001 84-401299
012 C010001 BOSTON
012 C020001 MA
012 C030001 02109
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<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02109
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015 C030001 02109
015 E010001 X
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020 A000001 TIEDMANN INT'L SERVICES INC
020 B000001 13-3506065
020 C000001 35
020 A000002 HAMBRECHT & QUIST, INC.
020 B000002 94-2856935
020 C000002 2
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022 C000001 4353375
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022 C000002 2093992
022 D000002 1434577
022 A000003 UBS SECURITIES
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022 C000003 2899687
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022 B000005 13-5108880
022 C000005 1483842
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022 C000006 1501202
022 D000006 141559
022 A000007 GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKETET
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000007 13-3172275
022 C000007 759400
022 D000007 820723
022 A000008 SBC WARBURG
022 C000008 1231508
022 D000008 0
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022 B000009 13-3082695
022 C000009 629869
022 D000009 498269
022 A000010 DEUTSCHE MORGAN GRENFELL
022 C000010 139695
022 D000010 170146
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
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SIGNATURE PAUL BUCAVALAS
TITLE VICE PRESIDENT
WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,479,520,389
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,388,637,963
<RECEIVABLES> 159,713,872
<ASSETS-OTHER> 8,482,515
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,556,834,350
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 256,873,468
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 52,095,760
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 308,969,228
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,315,164,690
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 160,759,306
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 150,222,899
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 9,972,204
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 19,128,241
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (96,400,013)
<NET-ASSETS> 4,247,865,122
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 3,480,154
<INTEREST-INCOME> 169,399,717
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 28,024,987
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 144,854,884
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 63,641,337
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (132,852,591)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 75,643,630
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (68,768,813)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 26,928,354
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (20,043,422)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3,651,475
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 217,826,727
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 6,926,338
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (44,513,096)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 11,351,198
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
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<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,930,673,440
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<PER-SHARE-NII> .45
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.19)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.44)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.11
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .48
<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>
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> CLASS B
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,479,520,389
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,388,637,963
<RECEIVABLES> 159,713,872
<ASSETS-OTHER> 8,482,515
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 4,556,834,350
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 256,873,468
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 52,095,760
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 308,969,228
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,315,164,690
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 184,077,662
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 174,433,130
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 9,972,204
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 19,128,241
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (96,400,013)
<NET-ASSETS> 4,247,865,122
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 3,480,154
<INTEREST-INCOME> 169,399,717
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 28,024,987
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 144,854,884
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 63,641,337
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (132,852,591)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 75,643,630
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (71,018,281)
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (19,462,234)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3,657,930
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 217,826,727
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 6,926,338
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (44,513,096)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 11,351,198
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 28,624,761
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,215,358,347
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<PER-SHARE-NII> .40
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.18)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.40)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.06
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .86
<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>
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> CLASS M
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,479,520,389
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,388,637,963
<RECEIVABLES> 159,713,872
<ASSETS-OTHER> 8,482,515
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
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<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 52,095,760
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 308,969,228
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,315,164,690
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 5,326,139
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 3,776,839
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<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 19,128,241
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (96,400,013)
<NET-ASSETS> 4,247,865,122
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 3,480,154
<INTEREST-INCOME> 169,399,717
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 28,024,987
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 144,854,884
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 63,641,337
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (132,852,591)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 75,643,630
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<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 217,826,727
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<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (44,513,096)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 11,351,198
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 28,624,761
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 55,508,519
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.27
<PER-SHARE-NII> .42
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.18)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.43)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.08
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .61
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 3
<NAME> CLASS Y
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> OTHER
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 4,479,520,389
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 4,388,637,963
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<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,315,164,690
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<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 9,972,204
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<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (96,400,013)
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<INTEREST-INCOME> 169,399,717
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<EXPENSES-NET> 28,024,987
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<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 63,641,337
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (132,852,591)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 75,643,630
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (31,560)
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</TABLE>