Horizontal wire, the stuff that goes from where your equipment is to where the source signal (whether ethernet, telephone, or TV) is, terminates ... connects ... on what are called "patch panels" on the source side, and wall plates/jacks on the device side.
So, a patch panel at your source location - lets call it "network closet" - it's where your TV signal, your phone, your data network - all feed in there to be distributed around your home - a patch panel here would allow your 6 or more locations all to be wired. Then, you plug in a patch cable between your equipment and your patch panel.
So, let's say you run wires to 3 bedrooms, a den, and your living room. That's 5 wires to a patch panel. Then, lets say your have a 4 port router/switch. You could supply signal from the router/switch to 4 of your 5 rooms. Let's say you don't use your bedroom #3, since it's for guests, so no point in running a patch cable there so you're fine. Then, your parents come to visit, and they want to get Internet in the guest bedroom. No problem, you go into your network closet, and grab the patch cable going to the kids room (sorry kids), and unplug it and plug it into the patch panel port going to the guest bedroom, and voila! You've "lit up" the guest bedroom in about 10 seconds.
This is the way "network guys" (like me) do it for hundreds/thousands of "cubes" in a commercial building - when people move in and out - and there's say 200 cubes and 150 ethernet ports available.
Telephone and TV signal can work the exact same way.
Here's a picture. Hope this helps.
