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Iron (Fe) is necessary for plant growth and development. The mechanism of uptake and translocation in Cadmium (Cd) is similar to iron, which shares iron transporters. Yellow stripe-like transporter (YSL) plays a pivotal role in transporting iron and other metal ions in plants. In this study, <i>MsYSL6</i> and its promoter were cloned from leguminous forage alfalfa. The transient expression of MsYSL6-GFP indicated that MsYSL6 was localized to the plasma membrane and cytoplasm. The expression of <i>MsYSL6</i> was induced in alfalfa by iron deficiency and Cd stress, which was further proved by GUS activity driven by the <i>MsYSL6</i> promoter. To further identify the function of <i>MsYSL6</i>, it was heterologously overexpressed in tobacco. <i>MsYSL6</i>-overexpressed tobacco showed better growth and less oxidative damage than WT under Cd stress. <i>MsYSL6</i> overexpression elevated Fe and Cd contents and induced a relatively high Fe translocation rate in tobacco under Cd stress. The results suggest that <i>MsYSL6</i> might have a dual function in the absorption of Fe and Cd, playing a role in the competitive absorption between Fe and Cd. <i>MsYSL6</i> might be a regulatory factor in plants to counter Cd stress. This study provides a novel gene for application in heavy metal enrichment or phytoremediation and new insights into plant tolerance to toxic metals.