A large body of recent research has examined how soil multifunctionality, typically defined as high rates of multiple soil processes and high stocks of soil resources, is driven by a range of biotic, management and climatic factors. Much of this work identifies factors that would promote multifunctionality but does not consider how individual functions trade-off and limit multifunctionality. Using data from a pan-biome study of soil functions across Mt Kilimanjaro we show that at the level of functions that here are inherent trade-offs in soil functioning and that these are likely driven by climate, land use and vegetation properties. At the level of ecosystem services these trade-offs limit the overall multifunctionality of soils but instead mean that bundles of desirable soil properties are found together. These findings question the utility of current standard definitions of soil multifunctionality by showing that inherent trade-offs limit its possibilities. Instead, we recommend the identification of soil functional types and the bundles of services related to these as a means of framing the function and utility of soils.