A DEP; CLBING; B737-300 FLC IS GIVEN AN INCORRECT ALT ASSIGNMENT BY ORD DEP CTLR WHEN 6 MI SW OF ORD; IL.

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HDOF TO DEP FROM TWR. DEP SAID WRONG FREQ; GO TO 132.5. CONTACT WAS MADE WITH 132.5 PRIOR TO REACHING ALT 3000 FT. 132.5 CLRED FLT ABC TO 9000 FT. WE READ BACK ACR X ABC; CLRED TO 9000 FT AND STARTED CLB. ABOUT 90 SECONDS LATER 132.5 CAME BACK AND ASKED 'WHO DID I CLR TO 9000 FT?' FLT ABC RESPONDED THAT CTLR HAD CLRED ACR X ABC TO 9000 FT. CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'WHERE ARE YOU?' WE TOLD HER 5 TO 6 MI SW OF MDW. CTLR THEN TOLD US TO STOP CLB. WE WERE AT 5500 FT AND ADVISED OF OUR ALT. I ALSO NOW SAW TFC AT 6000 FT. SO WE LEVELED AT 5000 FT. NO TFC ALERTS. ATC PASSED ACR X ABC TO 127.07. I ASKED 132.5 IF WE HAD ANY PROBS WITH ALT CLRNC. CTLR SAID NO PROBS. CONTACT WITH 127.07 GAVE US A HDG AND CLRED ACR X ABC TO 12000 FT. MAJOR TSTMS HAD PASSED THROUGH MDW. MANY DELAYS. I THINK DEP HAD BEEN OVEREXTENDED. AT THE TIME OF OUR DEP; THINGS WERE JUST BEGINNING TO RETURN TO A MANAGEABLE OP. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 518864: CHICAGO MDW DEP FROM RWY 31L. BIG STORMS HAD PASSED THROUGH MDW; MANY DELAYS AND RERTES. NOT SURE HOW OR WHY DEP SEEMED TO GIVE US AN INCORRECT INSTRUCTION. FOR THIS CASE; I DON'T BELIEVE EITHER PLT ON ACR X ABC DID ANYTHING INCORRECT.