We calculate the cross sections and final state distributions for the processes e^+ e^- --> Upsilon(1S) (pi^+ pi^-, K^+ K^-, eta pi^0) near the Upsilon(5S) resonance based on the tetraquark hypothesis. This framework is used to analyse the data on the Upsilon(1S) pi^+ pi^- and Upsilon(1S) K^+ K^- final states [K.F. Chen et al. (Belle Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 112001 (2008); I. Adachi et al. (Belle Collaboration), arXiv:0808.2445], yielding good fits. Dimeson invariant mass spectra in these processes are shown to be dominated by the corresponding light scalar and tensor states. The resulting correlations among the cross sections are worked out. We also predict sigma(e^+ e^- --> Upsilon(1S) K^+ K^-)/sigma(e^+ e^- --> Upsilon(1S) K^0 Kbar^0) = 1/4. These features provide crucial tests of the tetraquark framework and can be searched for in the currently available and forthcoming data from the B factories.