Abstract: There are provided a polishing apparatus and a polishing method capable of performing polishing a work (such as a wafer) with high efficiency and high precision, a novel work holding plate effectively holding a work and an adhering method for a work capable of adhering the work on the work holding plate with high precision. The polishing apparatus comprises: a polishing table(29); and a work holding plate(38), wherein a work held on the work holding plate(38) is polished supplying a polishing agent solution(41) in the apparatus, and in polishing action, an amount of deformation of the polishing table(29) in a direction normal to an upper surface thereof with respect to the upper surface thereof and/or an amount of deformation of the work holding plate(38) in a direction normal to a work holding surface thereof is restricted to 100 m or less by forming the polishing table(29) in one-piece, contriving flow paths of cooling water and others.