muscle, mussel

Muscle or muscle means the body tissue that produces movement when we flex it, expand it or contract it--
Diet and exercise are meant to increase muscle and decrease fat.
She pulled a muscle working out, and has to take a few days off.
Her muscles ached after the long walk.

Mussel or mussel ( rhymes with muscle ) means the small dark blue or black teardrop-shaped creature that has two shells, like a clam or an oyster--
Mussels in red sauce are a local specialty.
He found a mussel shell on the beach and used it to dig a moat for the sand castle.
"Crying cockles and mussels, alive, alive oh..."

Now that you know that, you can say--
"If you want to open the mussel shell, you have to cut through the muscle at the hinge."

Note--to "muscle" your way means to push and shove--
He muscled his way through the crowd.
To be "muscled" or "well-muscled" means to have prominent muscles, or to be muscular--
The body builders were all very muscular looking.
The body builders all looked well muscled.