Here's how to tell:
Linking Verb: When "made" connects the subject to a noun or adjective that describes the subject.
* Example: "The cake made him happy." (Here, "made" links the subject "cake" to the adjective "happy" which describes the cake's effect on him.)
Action Verb: When "made" describes an action performed by the subject.
* Example: "She made a beautiful cake." (Here, "made" describes the action of creating a cake.)
To figure out which type of verb "made" is, look at the words that follow it. If they describe the subject, it's a linking verb. If they describe an action, it's an action verb.