In your case, in inputHandler, you are creating a new variable called active and storing False in it. This will not affect the module level active.

To fix this, you need to explicitly say that active is not a new variable, but the one declared at the top of the module, with the global keyword, like this

def inputHandler(value):
    global active

    if value == 'exit':
        active = False

But, please note that the proper way to do this would be to return the result of inputHandler and store it back in active.

def inputHandler(value):
    return value != 'exit'

while active:
    userInput = input("Input here: ")
    active = inputHandler(userInput)

If you look at the while loop, we used while active:. In Python you either have to use == to compare the values, or simply rely on the truthiness of the value. is operator should be used only when you need to check if the values are one and the same.

But, if you totally want to avoid this, you can simply use iter function which breaks out automatically when the sentinel value is met.

for value in iter(lambda: input("Input here: "), 'exit'):
    inputHandler(value)

Now, iter will keep executing the function passed to it, till the function returns the sentinel value (second parameter) passed to it.

Because break cannot be used to break out of an if statement -it can only break out of loops. That's the way Python (and most other languages) are specified to behave.

What are you trying to do? Perhaps you should use sys.exit() or return instead?

A couple of changes mean that only an R or r will roll. Any other character will quit

import random

while True:
    print('Your score so far is {}.'.format(myScore))
    print("Would you like to roll or quit?")
    ans = input("Roll...")
    if ans.lower() == 'r':
        R = np.random.randint(1, 8)
        print("You rolled a {}.".format(R))
        myScore = R + myScore
    else:
        print("Now I'll see if I can break your score...")
        break

You should listen for keypresses on a separate thread because time.sleep() blocks operations in the current thread.

To do this, create a thread with a global variable and adjust your while loop condition based on that.

Here is a simple demo:

import keyboard
import time
import threading

stop = False  # flag to stop the loop

# the function that listens to the key press
def key_listener():
    global stop
    keyboard.wait("a")
    stop = True

# the thread that runs the above function
t = threading.Thread(target=key_listener)
t.start()

while not stop:  # loop until the stop flag is set
    print("op1")
    time.sleep(2)
    print("op2")
    time.sleep(4)

print("done")

Another alternative to keyboard with more compatibility (e.g., on macOS) is the pynput library:

from pynput import keyboard

def key_listener():
    def on_press(key):
        global stop
        if key.char == "a":
            stop = True
            return False

    with keyboard.Listener(on_press=on_press) as listener:
        listener.join()

Because you are new to programming, I will get a few basic tips in my answer too.

INFINITE LOOP

You are trying to start an infinite loop by first settingagain = 'y' and afterwards you are using this variable to evaluate a while loop. Because you are not changing the value of y, it is better to not use a variable to create this infinite loop. Instead, try this:

while True:
    (some code)

DEFINE FUNCTION IN LOOP

You're defining the function main() inside of the while loop. As far as I can tell, there is no use for that. Just leave out the first while loop. If you define a function, it is permanent (much like a variable), so no need to redefine it everytime. Using your code, you won't even get to call the function, because you never end the first loop.

CONTINUE/BREAK NOT IN LOOP

The error is quite self-explanaitory, but here we go. If you would ever end the first loop (which in this case, you won't), the next thing you do is call your function main(). This will generate a number and make the user guess it until he got it right. When that happens, you get out of that function (and loop).

Next, you ask if the user would like to play again. This is just an input statement. You store the answer in the variable 'again'. You check, with an if statement (note that this is not a loop!) what the answer is. You want the user to play again if he typed 'y', so instead of using again != 'y', you could use the following:

if again == 'y':
    main()  # you call the function to play again

If 'n' was typed in, you want to exit the script, which you do not by typing break, because you are not in a loop, just in an if-statement. You can either type nothing, which will just go out of the if-statement. Because there is nothing after the if, you will exit the script. You could also useexit(), which will immediately exit the script.

Lastly, you want to repeat the question if neither of these two things were answered. You can put the if-statement inside of a loop. You can (if you want) use your break and continue when doing this, but you mostly want to avoid those two. Here is an example:

while True:
    again = raw_imput('y for again or n to stop')
    if again == 'y':
        main()
        exit()  # use this if you don't want to ask to play again after the 2nd game
    elif again == 'n':
        print('bye!')
        exit()
    # no need for an 'else' this way
    # every exit() can be replaced by a 'break' if you really want to

BASIC BREAK/CONTINUE USAGE

Finally, here is some basic usage of break and continue. People generally tend to avoid them, but it's nice to know what they do.

Using break will exit the most inner loop you are currently in, but you can only use it inside of a loop, obviously (for-loops or while-loops).

Using continue will immediately restart the most inner loop you are currently in, regardless of what code comes next. Also, only usable inside of a loop.

EVERYTHING TOGETHER

import random
again = 'y'


def main():
    print ("gues a number between 0 - 10.")
    nummer = random.randint(1,10)
    found = False
    while not found:
        usergues = input("your gues?")
        if usergues == nummer:
            print ('Your the man')
            found = True
    else:
        print ('to bad dude try again')

main()
while True:
    again = input('would you like to play again press y to play again   press n yo exit')
    if again == 'n':
        print ('bye!')
        exit()  # you could use break here too
    elif again == 'y':
        main()
        exit()  # you can remove this if you want to keep asking after every game
    else:
        print ('oeps i don\'t know what you mean plz enter y to play again or n to exit')

I hope I helped you!

1. Raise an exception, that you can handle outside the While loop
2. Return a flag to be captured by the caller and handle accordingly. Note, "if logic" directly in the while loop,, would be the most preferred way.