Meanings

1. nounmaterial (for a story, article, etc.); information; news itemfrom the inversion of たね
2. nounjoke; jest; (comedy) routine; made-up story; material
3. nounproof; evidence
4. noun(magician's) trick; secret
5. nouningredients (esp. for sushi)
6. noun(Internet) meme

Examples

• お寿司で一番好きなネタは何ですか？

  What's your favourite type of sushi?

• よく聞いたら、ネタじゃなくてマジボケだったみたいです。

  When I asked afterwards it seems he hadn't said that as a joke.

• おい、いい加減パンツネタはやめとけよな、読者が退く、ドンビキ。

  Hey, it's about time you quit it with the panty jokes. You'll put off the readers, you creeper!

Sentences from Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR).