Distance measuring method for determining a distance to a target object with a laser distance measuring device, embodied as a hand-held distance measuring device, laser scanner, profiler, laser tracker, or tachymeter, comprising • emitting a transmitted signal, in particular a pulsed signal series, • receiving at least parts of the transmitted signal reflected on the target object as a received signal, • processing the received signal to derive the distance to the target object therefrom, wherein the received signal is analyzed by means of waveform digitization, characterized in that • the transmitted signal is emitted in a defined polarization state, • the transmitted signal is emitted and the received signal is acquired such that a polarization identifier of the polarization state of the transmitted signal adheres to the received signal, wherein the polarization identifier is selected so that it is an indication for whether the received signal originates from a single reflection or a multiple reflection of the transmitted signal, wherein the transmitted signal is emitted as a polarization-coded signal comprising partial signals with mutually different polarization states, wherein the partial signals are emitted at different times or by means of two lasers which have different wavelengths, wherein o a first partial signal is emitted in a first defined polarization state, o a second partial signal is emitted in a second defined polarization state, o at least parts of the first partial signal reflected on the target object are acquired as a first received partial signal and at least parts of the second partial signal reflected on the target object are acquired as a second received partial signal, o a first intensity of the first received partial signal is measured, o a second intensity of the second received partial signal is measured, and o based on the first intensity and the second intensity, a first comparison value is derived with regard to the intensity ratio between the first and the second intensity, and • based on the first comparison value, an evaluation of the received signal is derived, wherein the evaluation of the received signal is taken into consideration during the processing of the received signal to determine the distance to the target object to identify or compensate distance measurement artifacts caused by multiple reflection. • emitting a transmitted signal, in particular a pulsed signal series, • receiving at least parts of the transmitted signal reflected on the target object as a received signal, • processing the received signal to derive the distance to the target object therefrom, wherein the received signal is analyzed by means of waveform digitization, characterized in that • the transmitted signal is emitted in a defined polarization state, • the transmitted signal is emitted and the received signal is acquired such that a polarization identifier of the polarization state of the transmitted signal adheres to the received signal, wherein the polarization identifier is selected so that it is an indication for whether the received signal originates from a single reflection or a multiple reflection of the transmitted signal, wherein the transmitted signal is emitted as a polarization-coded signal comprising partial signals with mutually different polarization states, wherein the partial signals are emitted at different times or by means of two lasers which have different wavelengths, wherein o a first partial signal is emitted in a first defined polarization state, o a second partial signal is emitted in a second defined polarization state, o at least parts of the first partial signal reflected on the target object are acquired as a first received partial signal and at least parts of the second partial signal reflected on the target object are acquired as a second received partial signal, o a first intensity of the first received partial signal is measured, o a second intensity of the second received partial signal is measured, and o based on the first intensity and the second intensity, a first comparison value is derived with regard to the intensity ratio between the first and the second intensity, and o a first partial signal is emitted in a first defined polarization state, o a second partial signal is emitted in a second defined polarization state, o at least parts of the first partial signal reflected on the target object are acquired as a first received partial signal and at least parts of the second partial signal reflected on the target object are acquired as a second received partial signal, o a first intensity of the first received partial signal is measured, o a second intensity of the second received partial signal is measured, and o based on the first intensity and the second intensity, a first comparison value is derived with regard to the intensity ratio between the first and the second intensity, • based on the first comparison value, an evaluation of the received signal is derived,