5 of Wands is the disagreement, the quarrell, the competition, the need to face the opponent and accept the challenge, the rivality.
5 of Swords, on the other hand, speaks of dishonourable attitude, decaying morality and integrity; self-interest and egotism, from and towards oneself; hostile environment (rivality again, but more abstractly) and support of a party in a conflict.
Anyhow, when I have doubts myself, I try to look at the energy of the cards - which may be similar, as in this case - but shading them with the power of their own elemnts:
Fire is will, strength, action, beating if you like;
Air is intent, idea, project, intellectual doing, pamphleting.