<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 B000000 09/30/96
000 C000000 0000830622
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 MASTER INTERMEDIATE INCOME TRUST
001 B000000 811-5498
001 C000000 6172921562
002 A000000 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02109
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008 A000001 PUTNAM INVESTMENT MANAGMENT INC.
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-7974
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 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
013 B030001 02109
015 A000001 PUTNAM FIDUCIARY TRUST CO.
015 B000001 C
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015 C020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
015 C030001 02109
015 E010001 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 98
019 C000000 PUTNAMFUND
020 A000001 TIEDEMANN INT'L SERVICES INC.
020 B000001 13-3506065
020 C000001 9
020 A000002 EDWARDS (A.G.) & SONS INC.
020 B000002 43-0895477
020 C000002 4
020 A000003 HOENIG & CO., INC.
020 B000003 13-2656060
020 C000003 2
020 A000004 COMMONWEALTH EQUITY SERVICE
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022 A000001 MORGAN (J.P.) SECURITIES INC.
022 B000001 13-3224016
022 C000001 4409104
022 D000001 48103
022 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY INC.
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022 C000002 633648
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022 C000003 494795
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022 C000005 246724
022 D000005 75582
022 A000006 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO.
022 B000006 13-5108880
022 C000006 281038
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022 A000007 DONALDSON, LUFKIN & JENRETTE SECURITIES CORP.
022 B000007 13-2741729
022 C000007 64945
<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 D000007 66810
022 A000008 SALOMON BROTHERS INC.
022 B000008 13-3082694
022 C000008 45849
022 D000008 33397
022 A000009 UBS SECURITIES
022 B000009 13-2932996
022 C000009 20268
022 D000009 23732
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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>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY
FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED
FROM Putnam Master Intermediate Income Trust
AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY
REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>SEP-30-1996
<PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST > 337,322,959
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>339,650,199
<RECEIVABLES>20547,897
<ASSETS-OTHER>255,455
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>360,453,551
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>23,599,193
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>4,317,844
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>27,917,037
<SENIOR-EQUITY>0
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<INTEREST-INCOME>27,602,851
<OTHER-INCOME>0
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<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>1,079,890
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>32,010,756
<EQUALIZATION>0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>(23,973,364)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>0
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<SHARES-REINVESTED>0
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>(2,958,512)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>(30,623,661)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>2,479,579
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>3,262,414
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>330,610,597
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>8.38
<PER-SHARE-NII>.63
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<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>0
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<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>0
</TABLE>
