<ul>
  <li>
    <a href=''><span>Some text here, some text</span></a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href=''><span>Some text here, some<br>text 2222222</span></a>
  </li>
  <li>
    <a href=''><span>Some text here, some<br>text 2222222</span></a>
  </li>

</ul>

html,
body {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
}

ul {
  margin: 0;
  padding: 0;
  list-style:none;
  height: 83px;
  border: 1px solid green;
  display: table;
  table-layout: fixed;
  border-spacing: 2px;
  width: 100%;
  max-width: 960px;
  margin: auto;
}

ul li {
  display: table-cell;
  vertical-align: middle;
}
ul a{
  display:table;
  width:100%;
  height:100%;
}
ul span {
  display: table-cell;
  vertical-align: middle;
   background: green;
}
li a:hover span {
  background: red
}