This is the 42nd most frequent Japanese word.
前
"前" means "front" or "before" in English.
In this sentence, '前' is used to indicate a time in the past, specifically to modify 'lived' as 'before he lived.'
彼は前に住んでいた町の話をしてくれました。
He told me about the town he used to live in.
Here, '前' is used to indicate a spatial relation, meaning 'in front of,' denoting the position of the bank relative to the bookstore.
銀行は本屋の前にあります。
The bank is in front of the bookstore.
In this sentence, '前' is used to indicate a point in time before an event, 'before the exam,' emphasizing preparation time.