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A note: This does of course require that we assume the phrase "any target" is, in fact, singular. As user @thedarkwanderer has pointed out this phrase could be read as already being plural on which case my argument for point 3 would not apply. It's an ambiguity in the meaning as the word "any" in English can, in fact, be used as the plural over the alternative option of "each/every".

A note: This does of course require that we assume the phrase "any target" is, in fact, singular. As user @thedarkwanderer has pointed out this phrase could be read as already being plural in which case my argument for point 3 would not apply. There's ambiguity in the meaning as the word "any" in English - It can be used as the plural over the alternative options of "each/every".

A note: This does of course require that we assume the phrase "any target" is, in fact, singular. As user @thedarkwanderer has pointed out this phrase could be read as already being plural on which case my argument for point 3 would not apply. It's an ambiguity in the meaning as the word "any" in English can, in fact, be used as the plural over the alternative option of "each/every".

A small note on the exceptional state of green-flame blade:
This spell is rather exceptional; you make only one attack but end up affecting multiple creatures. The Sage Advice Compendium has said the following regarding the Ranger's Whirlwind Attack and Volley features:

Whirlwind Attack is unusual, in that it’s a single attack with multiple attack rolls...

These two features and green-flame blade are the only cases I know of where a single attack affects multiple creatures and so they probably have some odd interactions such as the one asked about in this Q/A ("How does the Sharpshooter feat interact with the Hunter ranger's Volley feature?")