A method of making a semiconductor structure includes patterning a polysilicon layer on a substrate to form a first floating gate over a first active region in the substrate and a second floating gate over a second active region in the substrate. An opening between the first and second floating gates is filled with a dielectric material. The dielectric material is etched back so that a height of a remaining portion of the dielectric material is less than a height of the first and second floating gates. A second polysilicon layer is deposited over the first and second floating gates and the remaining portion of the dielectric material to form a word line for the first and second floating gates.