Methods and compositions to label oligonucleotides and analogs directly on a solid-support having the structure 1 where S is a solid-support, A is a cleavable linker, X is a moiety with three or more attachment sites, L is a label, Y is a nucleophile, i.e. O, NH, NR or S, and P1 is an acid cleavable protecting group are provided. The labelled solid-support is reacted in a cyclical fashion to synthesize a labelled oligonucleotide on a solid-support in the 5null to 3null direction, having the structure: 2 Labelled oligonucleotides are also synthesized by reacting: (i) a label reagent bearing functionality consisting of carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, phosphonic acid, or phosphoric acid, (ii) an oligonucleotide on solid support with nucleophilic functionality, and (iii) a coupling reagent, whereby an ester, amide, thioester, sulfonamide, sulfonate, phosphonate, phosphoramidate, phosphorothioate, or phosphate bond is formed. The labelling reaction may be conducted at label sites including the 5null terminus, the 3null terminus, a nucleobase, an internucleotide linkage, a sugar, amino, sulfide, hydroxyl, and carboxyl.