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All heads and blocks have more coolant passages between them than are used, holes are to get the Sand out after they are cast.
Head gaskets are different depending on the engines cooling system setup.
The Ranger 3.0l is an NS(north south) mount, Rear wheel drive(RWD)
In Taurus's the 3.0l was an EW(east west) transverse mounting(FWD)
Ranger has both radiator hoses at the front of the engine, so coolant flows to the back and then back to the front
Taurus coolant flows from front to the back and then out to radiator
So each would use a different head gasket to direct the flow for best circulation.
3.0l Ranger head gaskets also have a left and right and UP, written on the gasket
Good look here at what you should see:
Rebuilding The Ford 3.0L Engine
Toward bottom of article
If you are missing the slots then you have a Taurus gasket not a Ranger gasket