The term is often used interchangeably with punch card, the difference being that an unused card is a "punch card," but once information had been encoded by punching holes in the card, it was now a "punched card."
The terms "punch card" and "punched card" are often used interchangeably. The difference lies in the state of the card: an unused card is called a "punch card," while one that has been punched with information is referred to as a "punched card."