A method of thermal adherend release, wherein a part of adherends adherent to a heat-peelable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet having a heat-expandable layer containing a foaming agent are selectively released from the pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet by partly heating the heat-peelable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet, wherein the method comprises previously heating a sticking site of an adherend to be released at a temperature at which the heat-expandable layer of the heat-peelable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet does not expand and then heating the sticking site of the adherend in the heat-peelable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet at a temperature at which the heat-expandable layer expands to thereby selectively releasing the adherend.