<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 03/31/98
000 C000000 0000836622
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 A
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
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004 000000 N
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006 000000 N
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007 C010400 4
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007 C010600 6
007 C010700 7
007 C010800 8
007 C010900 9
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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
013 A000001 COOPERS & LYBRAND L.L.P.
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
013 B030001 02109
015 A000001 PUTNAM FIDUCIARY TRUST COMPANY
015 B000001 C
015 C010001 BOSTON
015 C020001 MA
015 C030001 02109
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 94
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 FIMAT FUTURES USA INC
020 C000001 67
020 A000002 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
020 B000002 13-5674085
020 C000002 38
020 A000003 BANK OF AMERICA NT & SA
020 B000003 94-1687665
020 C000003 35
020 A000004 BEAR STERNS & CO.
020 B000004 13-4946705
020 C000004 17
020 A000005 HAMBRECHT & QUIST, INC.
020 B000005 94-2856935
020 C000005 3
020 C000006 0
020 C000007 0
020 C000008 0
020 C000009 0
020 C000010 0
021 000000 161
022 A000001 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000001 13-5108880
022 C000001 5608532
022 D000001 1114203
022 A000002 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000002 13-2518466
022 C000002 2744223
022 D000002 1640690
022 A000003 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000003 13-3224016
022 C000003 1285227
022 D000003 1155194
022 A000004 MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH, INC.
022 B000004 13-5674085
022 C000004 1565341
022 D000004 869844
022 A000005 SBC DILLON REED
022 C000005 1438678
022 D000005 0
022 A000006 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 B000006 13-3082694
022 C000006 374836
022 D000006 627210
022 A000007 DEUTSCHE BANK CAPITAL CORP.
022 B000007 13-6124068
022 C000007 37650
022 D000007 21008
022 A000008 CITICORP INVESTMENT BANK-CITIBANK
022 B000008 13-5266470
022 C000008 51554
022 D000008 2231
022 A000009 ARGOSY SECURITIES GROUP
022 C000009 38633
022 D000009 14997
022 A000010 GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKET
022 B000010 13-3172275
022 C000010 34724
022 D000010 18569
023 C000000 16650218
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
048 B020000 0.600
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
062 C000000 0.0
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
070 M020000 Y
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
073 C000000 0.0000
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
086 A020000 0
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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> 4
<NAME> CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 5,476,527,936
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 5,603,051,910
<RECEIVABLES> 264,034,576
<ASSETS-OTHER> 23,757,019
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,890,843,505
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 278,603,252
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 100,933,090
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 379,536,342
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,362,594,229
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 165,647,080
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 165,760,943
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (20,321,313)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 52,401,275
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 116,632,972
<NET-ASSETS> 5,511,307,163
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 766,522
<INTEREST-INCOME> 230,184,135
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 34,682,761
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 196,267,896
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 5,009,173
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (37,053,604)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 164,223,465
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (70,572,717)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 18,945,862
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (22,914,308)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3,854,583
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 506,811,606
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 47,392,102
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (50,209,102)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 13,886,989
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 35,322,472
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,095,787,031
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.70
<PER-SHARE-NII> .48
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.06)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.43)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.69
<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> 4
<NAME> CLASS B
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 5,476,527,936
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 5,603,051,910
<RECEIVABLES> 264,034,576
<ASSETS-OTHER> 23,757,019
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,890,843,505
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 278,603,252
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 100,933,090
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 379,536,342
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,362,594,229
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 187,991,400
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 187,124,497
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (20,321,313)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 52,401,275
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 116,632,972
<NET-ASSETS> 5,511,307,163
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 766,522
<INTEREST-INCOME> 230,184,135
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 34,682,761
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 196,267,896
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 5,009,173
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (37,053,604)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 164,223,465
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (70,686,270)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 19,384,230
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (22,212,390)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 3,695,063
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 506,811,606
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 47,392,102
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (50,209,102)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 13,886,989
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 35,322,472
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 2,350,245,639
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.65
<PER-SHARE-NII> .43
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.07)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.38)
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.63
<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> 4
<NAME> CLASS M
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 5,476,527,936
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 5,603,051,910
<RECEIVABLES> 264,034,576
<ASSETS-OTHER> 23,757,019
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,890,843,505
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 278,603,252
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 100,933,090
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 379,536,342
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,362,594,229
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 79,961,105
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 40,527,650
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (20,321,313)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 52,401,275
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 116,632,972
<NET-ASSETS> 5,511,307,163
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 766,522
<INTEREST-INCOME> 230,184,135
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 34,682,761
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 196,267,896
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 5,009,173
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (37,053,604)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 164,223,465
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (24,417,747)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 43,094,891
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (3,829,485)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 168,049
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 506,811,606
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 47,392,102
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (50,209,102)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 13,886,989
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 35,322,472
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 754,880,646
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.67
<PER-SHARE-NII> .46
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.07)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.41)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.65
<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> 4
<NAME> CLASS Y
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1997
<PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 5,476,527,936
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 5,603,051,910
<RECEIVABLES> 264,034,576
<ASSETS-OTHER> 23,757,019
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 5,890,843,505
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 278,603,252
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 100,933,090
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 379,536,342
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 5,362,594,229
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 1,818,851
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 1,556,115
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (20,321,313)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 52,401,275
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 116,632,972
<NET-ASSETS> 5,511,307,163
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 766,522
<INTEREST-INCOME> 230,184,135
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 34,682,761
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 196,267,896
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 5,009,173
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (37,053,604)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 164,223,465
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (703,373)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 726,502
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (519,561)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 55,795
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 506,811,606
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 47,392,102
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (50,209,102)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 13,886,989
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 35,322,472
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 20,268,313
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 12.70
<PER-SHARE-NII> .49
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.06)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.44)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 12.69
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .36
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
