UNITED STATES
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549

                                   FORM 13F

                             FORM 13F COVER PAGE

REPORT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR OR QUARTER ENDED:  12/31/00

CHECK HERE IF AMENDMENT ( ); AMENDMENT NUMBER:
THIS AMENDMENT (CHECK ONLY ONE.):  ( ) RESTATEMENT.
                                   ( ) ADDS NEW HOLDINGS ENTRIES.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT MANAGER FILING THIS REPORT:

NAME:        COMMERCE BANCSHARES, INC.
ADDRESS:     1000 WALNUT, P.O. BOX 13686
             KANSAS CITY, MO 64199

FORM 13F FILE NUMBER:  28-642

THE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT MANAGER FILING THIS REPORT AND THE
PERSON BY WHOM IT IS SIGNED HEREBY REPRESENT THAT THE PERSON
SIGNING THE REPORT IS AUTHORIZED TO SUBMIT IT, THAT ALL
INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS TRUE, CORRECT AND COMPLETE, AND
THAT IT IS UNDERSTOOD THAT ALL REQUIRED ITEMS, STATEMENTS
SCHEDULES, LISTS, AND TABLES, ARE CONSIDERED INTEGRAL PARTS OF
THIS FORM.

PERSON SIGNING THIS REPORT ON BEHALF OF REPORTING MANAGER:

NAME:         JEFFERY D. ABERDEEN
TITLE:        CONTROLLER
PHONE:        816-234-2081

SIGNATURE, PLACE, AND DATE OF SIGNING:

JEFFERY D. ABERDEEN         KANSAS CITY, MO       01/22/01

REPORT TYPE (CHECK ONLY ONE.):

( )           13F HOLDINGS REPORT

( )           13F NOTICE

(X)           13F COMBINATION REPORT

LIST OF OTHER MANAGERS REPORTING FOR THIS MANAGER:
28-05260      COMMERCE BANK, N.A. (MISSOURI)
28-04263      COMMERCE BANK, N.A. (WICHITA, KS)
28-04261      COMMERCE BANK, N.A. (PEORIA, IL)

I AM SIGNING THIS REPORT AS REQUIRED BY THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT
OF 1934.


                                 FORM 13F SUMMARY PAGE

REPORT SUMMARY:

NUMBER OF OTHER INCLUDED MANAGERS:             0

FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE ENTRY TOTAL:        7

FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE VALUE TOTAL:      $19,496
                        (THOUSANDS)

LIST OF OTHER INCLUDED MANAGERS:
   NONE




FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE
                                               
NAME OF ISSUER               TITLE OF CLASS            CUSIP
- --------------               --------------        -----------
VALUE      SHARES/    SH/ PUT/  INVSTMT   OTHER      VOTING AUTHORITY
(X1000)    PRN AMT    PRN CALL  DISCRETN  MANAGER  SOLE    SHARED    NONE
- ------     -------    --- ----  --------  -------  ----    ------    ----
BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO.       COMMON STOCK          110122108
4436       60000      SH          SOLE             60000
EDWARDS, A.G.                  COMMON STOCK          281760108
1186       25000      SH          SOLE             25000
GOLDMAN SACHS                  COMMON STOCK          38141G104
214        2000      SH          SOLE              2000
JOHNSON AND JOHNSON            COMMON STOCK          478160104
4203       40000      SH          SOLE             40000
MERCK AND CO., INC.            COMMON STOCK          589331107
3745       40000      SH          SOLE             40000
MORGAN, JP                     COMMON STOCK          616880100
4137       25000      SH          SOLE             25000
PREFERRED INCOME OPPORTUNITY   COMMON STOCK          74037H104
1575      151771      SH          SOLE            151771