Methods of obtaining sequence information about target oligonucleotides by repetitive single molecule hybridization are disclosed. The methods include exposing a target oligonucleotide to one or more copies of a test oligonucleotide; measuring hybridization; dehybridizing the test oligonucleotide; and repeating until the information content from the hybridization trials equals or exceeds the information content of the target oligonucleotide.