Cut both ways means have effects on both sides. This answer is correct because the expression has a fixed figurative meaning in English. In an SSC idiom question, students should match the whole phrase with its accepted meaning rather than translate each word separately.

• Classroom example: Cut both ways can refer to a situation involving have effects on both sides.
• Story example: A writer may use Cut both ways when describing a situation involving have effects on both sides.
• Exam example: When a sentence contains Cut both ways, choose the meaning “have effects on both sides.”