UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 13F FORM 13F COVER PAGE REPORT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR OR QUARTER ENDED: 3/31/03 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 4/28/03 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: 6 FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE VALUE TOTAL: $11,222 (THOUSANDS) LIST OF OTHER INCLUDED MANAGERS: NONE FORM 13F INFORMATION TABLE VALUE SHARES/ SH/ PUT/ INVSTMT OTHER VOTING AUTHORITY NAME OF ISSUER TITLE OF CLASS CUSIP (X1000) PRN AMT PRN CALL DSCRETN MANAGERS SOLE SHARED NONE -------------------------- -------------- ----- ------- ------- --- ---- ------- -------- ---- ------ ---- BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB CO. COMMON STOCK 110122108 1268 60000 SH SOLE 60000 EDWARDS, A.G. COMMON STOCK 281760108 648 25000 SH SOLE 25000 JOHNSON AND JOHNSON COMMON STOCK 478160104 4630 80000 SH SOLE 80000 MERCK AND CO., INC. COMMON STOCK 589331107 2191 40000 SH SOLE 40000 J.P. MORGAN CHASE & CO. COMMON STOCK 616880100 2193 92500 SH SOLE 92500 ZIMMER HOLDINGS, INC. COMMON STOCK 98956P102 292 6000 SH SOLE 6000