<p>Traditionally materials show an uncoupled response between normal and shear modes of deformation. Here we propose to achieve heterogeneous mode coupling among the normal and shear modes, but in conventional symmetric lattice geometries through intuitively mounting electro-active elements. The proposed bi-level multi-physically architected metamaterials lead to an unprecedented programmable voltage-dependent normal–shear constitutive mode coupling and active multi-modal stiffness modulation capability for critically exploitable periodic or aperiodic, on-demand and temporally tunable mechanical responses. Further, active partial cloaking concerning the effect of far-field complex stresses can be achieved, leading to the prospect of averting a range of failure and serviceability conditions. The tunable heterogeneous mode coupling in the new class of symmetric metamaterials would lead to real-time control of mechanical responses for temporal programming in a wide range of advanced mechanical applications, including morphing and transformable geometries, locomotion in soft robotics, embedded actuators, enhanced multi-modal energy harvesting, vibration and wave propagation control.</p>