A geometric interpretation for the operation of probes that use multiple sensors is presented. This interpretation provides a method for visualizing how the individual sensor reponse and the geometrical arrangement of the sensors are related to the measurements made with a given probe. The interpretation also provides a simple explanation for the occurrence of multiple solutions of the nonlinear equations for a probe. It is shown that a measured set of three cooling velocities, using a three‐sensor hot‐wire probe, can be produced by as many as eight different velocity vectors, only one of which is the correct velocity vector.