An apparatus and method for transmitting a reference signal in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) communication system in which a total frequency band is divided into a plurality of subcarrier bands. A time division multiplexer performs time division multiplexing such that the reference signal is transmitted for a first duration in a predetermined number of subcarrier bands from among the plurality of the subcarrier bands, and a signal other than the reference signal is transmitted for a second duration other than the first duration. A transmitter transmits the time-division multiplexed subcarrier band signals.