As a noun:
* The sledge was used to break up the frozen ground.
* The miners used a sledge to chip away at the rock.
* The sledge was heavy, but the worker managed to lift it.
As a verb:
* He sledgehammered the door open.
* The carpenter sledgehammered the stake into the ground.
* The protesters sledgehammered the windows of the bank.
Figurative:
* He sledgehammered his point home, leaving no room for doubt.
* The news of the merger hit the company like a sledgehammer.
* The economic downturn was a sledgehammer blow to the industry.
The meaning of "sledge" depends on the context. It can refer to a large hammer, a sled, or even a verb meaning to hit forcefully.