diff --git a/bin/cylc-hold b/bin/cylc-hold
index 859bd8bfca1..077aa6618ba 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-hold
+++ b/bin/cylc-hold
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 """cylc [control] hold [OPTIONS] ARGS
 
-Hold one or more waiting tasks (cylc hold REG TASKID ...), or
+Hold one or more waiting tasks (cylc hold REG TASK_GLOB ...), or
 a whole suite (cylc hold REG).
 
 Held tasks do not submit even if they are ready to run.
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ("REG", "Suite name"),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     parser.add_option(
         "--after",
@@ -66,10 +66,10 @@ def main():
         suite, options.owner, options.host, options.port)
 
     if args:
-        items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
+        task_globs = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
         pclient(
             'hold_tasks',
-            {'task_globs': items},
+            {'task_globs': task_globs},
             timeout=options.comms_timeout
         )
     elif options.hold_point_string:
diff --git a/bin/cylc-kill b/bin/cylc-kill
index e7150cbf2cb..729801693df 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-kill
+++ b/bin/cylc-kill
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 Kill jobs of active tasks and update their statuses accordingly.
 
-To kill one or more tasks, "cylc kill REG TASKID ..."; to kill all active
+To kill one or more tasks, "cylc kill REG TASK_GLOB ..."; to kill all active
 tasks: "cylc kill REG".
 """
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ('REG', 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     options, args = parser.parse_args()
 
diff --git a/bin/cylc-poll b/bin/cylc-poll
index ff716862b49..a0f20c9563b 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-poll
+++ b/bin/cylc-poll
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@
 
 Poll (query) task jobs to verify and update their statuses.
 
-Use "cylc poll REG" to poll all active tasks, or "cylc poll REG TASKID" to poll
-individual tasks or families, or groups of them.
+Use "cylc poll REG" to poll all active tasks, or "cylc poll REG TASK_GLOB"
+to poll individual tasks or families, or groups of them.
 """
 
 import sys
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ('REG', 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     parser.add_option(
         "-s", "--succeeded", help="Allow polling of succeeded tasks.",
@@ -58,14 +58,14 @@ def main():
     pclient = SuiteRuntimeClient(
         suite, options.owner, options.host, options.port,
         options.comms_timeout)
-    items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
+    task_globs = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
     # Back compat: back_out introduced >7.5.0
     # So don't call with "poll_succ" if not necessary to avoid breakage.
     if options.poll_succ:
         pclient('poll_tasks',
-                {'task_globs': items, 'poll_succ': options.poll_succ})
+                {'task_globs': task_globs, 'poll_succ': options.poll_succ})
     else:
-        pclient('poll_tasks', {'task_globs': items})
+        pclient('poll_tasks', {'task_globs': task_globs})
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/bin/cylc-release b/bin/cylc-release
index 07ea3aeb294..d9ad3f5f1b1 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-release
+++ b/bin/cylc-release
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 """cylc [control] release|unhold [OPTIONS] ARGS
 
-Release one or more held tasks (cylc release REG TASKID)
+Release one or more held tasks (cylc release REG TASK_GLOB)
 or the whole suite (cylc release REG). Held tasks do not
 submit even if they are ready to run.
 
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ("REG", 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     options, args = parser.parse_args()
     suite = args.pop(0)
@@ -56,8 +56,8 @@ def main():
         suite, options.owner, options.host, options.port,
         options.comms_timeout)
     if args:
-        items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
-        pclient('release_tasks', {'task_globs': items})
+        task_globs = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
+        pclient('release_tasks', {'task_globs': task_globs})
     else:
         pclient('release_suite')
 
diff --git a/bin/cylc-remove b/bin/cylc-remove
index 96148bb4e18..ec33d12f126 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-remove
+++ b/bin/cylc-remove
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 """cylc [control] remove [OPTIONS] ARGS
 
-Remove one or more tasks (cylc remove REG TASKID), or all tasks with a
+Remove one or more tasks (cylc remove REG TASK_GLOB), or all tasks with a
 given cycle point (cylc remove REG *.POINT) from a running suite.
 
 Tasks will spawn successors first if they have not done so already.
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ("REG", "Suite name"),
-            ('TASKID [...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('TASK_GLOB [...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     parser.add_option(
         "--no-spawn",
@@ -56,10 +56,10 @@ def main():
     pclient = SuiteRuntimeClient(
         suite, options.owner, options.host, options.port,
         options.comms_timeout)
-    items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
+    task_globs = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
     pclient(
         'remove_tasks',
-        {'task_globs': items, 'spawn': (not options.no_spawn)}
+        {'task_globs': task_globs, 'spawn': (not options.no_spawn)}
     )
 
 
diff --git a/bin/cylc-reset b/bin/cylc-reset
index 3cec9b30eb9..65bcec3e9e7 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-reset
+++ b/bin/cylc-reset
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ('REG', 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     parser.add_option(
         "-s", "--state", metavar="STATE",
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ def main():
     pclient = SuiteRuntimeClient(
         suite, options.owner, options.host, options.port,
         options.comms_timeout)
-    items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
+    task_globs = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
     pclient(
         'reset_task_states',
-        {'task_globs': items, 'state': options.state,
+        {'task_globs': task_globs, 'state': options.state,
          'outputs': options.outputs}
     )
 
diff --git a/bin/cylc-show b/bin/cylc-show
index 2ca9120a6e5..c2b1f2c56c3 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-show
+++ b/bin/cylc-show
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, noforce=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ('REG', 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task names or identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     parser.add_option('--list-prereqs', action="store_true", default=False,
                       help="Print a task's pre-requisites as a list.")
diff --git a/bin/cylc-spawn b/bin/cylc-spawn
index 3ad0f1b1372..0996e492d74 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-spawn
+++ b/bin/cylc-spawn
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ('REG', 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     options, args = parser.parse_args()
 
diff --git a/bin/cylc-trigger b/bin/cylc-trigger
index 4640277ea52..713cb7ef3eb 100755
--- a/bin/cylc-trigger
+++ b/bin/cylc-trigger
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ def main():
         __doc__, comms=True, multitask=True,
         argdoc=[
             ('REG', 'Suite name'),
-            ('[TASKID ...]', 'Task identifiers')])
+            ('[TASK_GLOB ...]', 'Task matching patterns')])
 
     parser.add_option(
         "-e", "--edit",
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ def main():
 
     aborted = False
     if options.edit_run:
-        items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
-        task_id = items[0]
+        task_globs = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
+        task_id = task_glob[0]
         # Check that TASK is a unique task.
         success, msg = pclient(
             'ping_task',
@@ -191,13 +191,10 @@ def main():
             aborted = True
 
     # Trigger the task proxy(s).
-    items = parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args)
-    # Back compat: back_out introduced >7.5.0
-    # So don't call with "back_out" if not necessary to avoid breakage.
-    if aborted:
-        pclient('trigger_tasks', {'task_globs': items, 'back_out': aborted})
-    else:
-        pclient('trigger_tasks', {'task_globs': items})
+    pclient('trigger_tasks', {
+        'task_globs': parser.parse_multitask_compat(options, args),
+        'back_out': aborted
+    })
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/lib/cylc/option_parsers.py b/lib/cylc/option_parsers.py
index 663c3b6ca38..d6d87593560 100644
--- a/lib/cylc/option_parsers.py
+++ b/lib/cylc/option_parsers.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ class CylcOptionParser(OptionParser):
     """Common options for all cylc CLI commands."""
 
     MULTITASK_USAGE = """
-TASKID is a pattern to match task proxies or task families, or groups of them:
+TASK_GLOB is a pattern to match task proxies or task families,
+or groups of them:
 * [CYCLE-POINT-GLOB/]TASK-NAME-GLOB[:TASK-STATE]
 * [CYCLE-POINT-GLOB/]FAMILY-NAME-GLOB[:TASK-STATE]
 * TASK-NAME-GLOB[.CYCLE-POINT-GLOB][:TASK-STATE]
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ class CylcOptionParser(OptionParser):
 
 The old 'MATCH POINT' syntax will be automatically detected and supported. To
 avoid this, use the '--no-multitask-compat' option, or use the new syntax
-(with a '/' or a '.') when specifying 2 TASKID arguments."""
+(with a '/' or a '.') when specifying 2 TASK_GLOB arguments."""
 
     def __init__(self, usage, argdoc=None, comms=False, noforce=False,
                  jset=False, multitask=False, prep=False, auto_add=True,
@@ -212,15 +213,6 @@ def add_std_options(self):
                 action="store", default=None, dest="templatevars_file")
 
         if self.multitask:
-            self.add_std_option(
-                "-m", "--family",
-                help=(
-                    "(Obsolete) This option is now ignored "
-                    "and is retained for backward compatibility only. "
-                    "TASKID in the argument list can be used to match "
-                    "task and family names regardless of this option."),
-                action="store_true", default=False, dest="is_family")
-
             self.add_std_option(
                 "--no-multitask-compat",
                 help="Disallow backward compatible multitask interface.",