Compositions and methods for nucleic acid amplification are provided that minimize the formation and amplification of spurious products, particularly in multiplex amplification reactions. Linear amplification molecules are provided. A first embodiment comprises a first common primer sequence, a first template homology region, a cleavable site, a second common primer sequence and a second template homology region. Methods employing the linear amplification molecules for nucleic acid amplification are also provided. A first embodiment comprises a template-specific hybridization, a linear amplification, a template-specific intramolecular hybridization, a strand cleavage, a second linear amplification and an exponential amplification using common primers.