The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PEOPLED
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More clues leading to the result PEOPLED
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "filled with inhabitants" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case filled with inhabitants = peopled.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PEOPLED mean?
PEOPLED verb- To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.
- To become populous or populated.
- To inhabit; to occupy; to populate.
- To interact with people; to socialize.