I'm running a 5 speed freewheel 14x32 with a tripple 52-47-36 and wondering if changing to a 14x28 5 speed freewheel would cause a problem? I feel it might cause me to crosschain a bit too much....... Would a better bet be to change from a 47 middle ring to a 42 or something other?

Are you running half-step?
I have a 7sp and I don't have any problems when I am in the big-big. With your setup I would also go with a smaller small ring. You could go all the way down to a 24.
Cross chaining in a 5sp isn't the problem that it would be with the high number cog sets on the newer bikes.

Yes, 52 down to 47 is a half step...... I'm just unsure if I go to a 14X28 if it will force me to use big-big more than I should? I really don't need anything smaller than the 36 even with a 14X28 so maybe a 42t ring is the better choice.

Your chainring combination is what we used to call half step + granny.

Narrowing the freewheel from 32 to 28 will raise low gear about 13% so if you can live with that you should be OK. The intermediate gears will be higher on a sliding scale, but there's nothing there what should cause you to cross chain more or less often.

The best thing you can do is use a gear chart to plot all the existing gear combinations on a piece of paper, marking out the cross chained ones. Then repeat with your prospective freewheel and see how it plays out, both with a 47t middle and a 42t middle.