If you supply a map on the command line, make will update that map only. Typing make passwd will create and yppush the password database (assuming it is out of date). Likewise, make hosts and make networks will create and yppush the host and network files, /etc/hosts and /etc/networks.
There are three special variables used by make: DIR, which gives the directory of the source files; NOPUSH, which when non-null inhibits doing a yppush of the new database files; and DOM, used to construct a domain other than the master's default domain. The default for DIR is /etc, and the default for NOPUSH is the null string.
Refer to ypfiles(5) and ypserv(8) for an overview of the yellow pages.