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The description of the create bonfire cantrip says:

You create a bonfire on ground that you can see within range. Until the spell ends, the magic bonfire fills a 5-foot cube. Any creature in the bonfire’s space when you cast the spell must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d8 fire damage. A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there.

It seems like you could damage a creature twice in the same turn by having them enter the bonfire's space and then end their turn there. However, I'm not sure how it works with more complicated events, like casting it on a turn, then using forced movement to make them leave and reenter the same affected space on the turn you cast it (e.g. casting create bonfire, then using Action Surge, followed by a grapple and movement).

I also haven't figured out how the Scout rogue's Skirmish feature could affect this...

Can the create bonfire cantrip damage a creature more than once per turn, by RAW? If so, how many times at most?

Does being in the targeted space during the initial casting even count as entering for the first time on a turn?

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Yes (max is 3)

There are 3 triggers: When you cast, when they enter for the first time on a turn, and when they end their turn.

So yes if they enter and then end their turn there, they would have to make the save twice.

3 is the max because you could cast the spell during their turn as a reaction, then somehow have them leave and re-enter, and then end their turn there.

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    \$\begingroup\$ @PixelMaster: The spell states 'for the first time on a turn' explicitely. \$\endgroup\$
    – Opifex
    Sep 2, 2020 at 11:58
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Opifex yes, but a turn is when one creature acts - would be different if it said "for the first time in a round". Hence, if one guy pulls the target out and another pushes him in again, it would work. If your teammates have 2 attacks, they can even push him in and pull him out again, so he gets damaged every turn and not just every 2 turns. That being said, this whole procedure likely wouldn't be an efficient use of actions, unless the people helping you are low-level NPC mercenaries or smth. \$\endgroup\$
    – PixelMaster
    Sep 2, 2020 at 12:16
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    \$\begingroup\$ @PixelMaster it says "on its turn". So no, it does not work if other characters would repeatedly push it in and out. You could even argue that pushing it in once would not work, depending on how you interpret it. Also: In game, all turns happen simultaneously. It's not like everyone is standing still in combat until time has come for them to act. It is only out of the game, that we have turns to have a way to organise every player's actions. \$\endgroup\$
    – Opifex
    Sep 2, 2020 at 12:36
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Opifex No, it says "A creature must also make the saving throw when it moves into the bonfire’s space for the first time on a turn or ends its turn there." Who's turn it is is irrelevant for moving into the fire and potentially forcing a save. If there are 12 turns in a round, then the creature could potentially be affected up to 14 times each round (1/turn @ 12 turns + 1 for being in the space when the spell was cast, +1 for ending it's turn in the space) \$\endgroup\$
    – RevanantBacon
    Sep 2, 2020 at 13:39
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    \$\begingroup\$ @PixelMaster Original question was about how many times in one turn, not how many times in one round. Answer is 3. \$\endgroup\$
    – RevanantBacon
    Sep 2, 2020 at 13:40

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