WARNING: THE EDGAR SYSTEM ENCOUNTERED ERROR(S) WHILE PROCESSING THIS SCHEDULE.
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
Putnam Diversified Income Trust
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 5
<NAME> CLASS A
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> ANNUAL
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-2000
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 3,989,970,382
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 3,579,267,226
<RECEIVABLES> 153,399,970
<ASSETS-OTHER> 2,292,022
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 3,734,959,218
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 146,134,962
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 36,362,691
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 182,497,653
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 4,457,934,051
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 126,913,292
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 139,916,029
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (67,212,575)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (424,195,457)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (414,064,454)
<NET-ASSETS> 3,552,461,565
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 15,961,108
<INTEREST-INCOME> 356,856,923
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 49,056,669
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 323,761,362
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (174,497,136)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> (41,646,759)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 107,617,467
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (119,435,246)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> (5,609,309)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 31,209,684
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (52,647,043)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 8,434,622
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> (766,625,148)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (99,104)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (304,965,046)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 21,093,229
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 49,987,746
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 1,379,814,080
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 10.77
<PER-SHARE-NII> .92
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> (.61)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (.91)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (.04)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 10.13
<EXPENSE-RATIO> .94
[AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING] 0
[AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE] 0
</TABLE>
