I hate that you already spent $47 on a kit, because you really need a better kit. We like the Taylor K-2006 and it will let you test higher cl readings than just 5ppm. Read more at this link:

http://www.poolforum.com/pf2/showthread.php?t=10006

In the meantime, you can make your kit go higher than 5 by using dilution. Take one part pool water and an equal part of distilled water, mix, and then run your test with this. When you get your result, multiply by 2. To go higher than that, take one part pool water and two parts distilled, multiply results by 3, etc. This dilution method is not super accurate but is better than what you can do now. You really should consider a better kit. It will pay for itself in no time by avoiding problems in your water.

How does the water look? You are not adding enough chlorine at a time to get to shock level. When you test, add enough bleach to take your cl level back to 20. Each quart adds 2ppm so if you test and it is 5, then you need to add 15ppm which would require 7 or 8 quarts of bleach added all at one time. If you don't take it to shock level, you will never clear the pool. Try and test at least two or three times a day and each time raise the cl back up to 20. If you do this consistently until you can go overnight without losing more than 1ppm of cl, then your pool should clear right up. After you can hold cl overnight, then let the cl drift back down to 5-10.

BTW -- Don't worry about asking what you think are silly questions. We were all once pool newbies. You'll get the hang of this and before long, you'll know exactly what to do.