Leviticus 19:14 — Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.

Perhaps there are few more mindlessly ugly practical “jokes” than putting something in front of a blind person to cause a fall. This, I believe is why it is so often used as a metaphor for things that can interfere with the course of the life of an individual or a nation.
I am more concerned about the way one person tries to trip another than about the way God may use stumbling blocks as instruments if judgment, or about the sins or opportunities to sin that may be stumbling blocks — but these uses of stumbling blocks can be seen, especially in Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
The New Testament specifically calls out two kinds of “stumbling block” that people put in each other’s way:
The first kind I see is the providing of chances to sin. 1 John 2:10 points out that “He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.” Laying sin traps for each other is unloving! Jesus had a furious rebuke for those who would mislead the young and inexperienced in such a cruel way:

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. (Luke 17:1-2)

The second kind of New Testament stumbling block is a “Paul special”. He talks about anything that might persuade one Christian to go against their conscience characterizes because of different views about right Christian practices as a “stumbling block”.

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. …
But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. (1 Corinthians 8:9, 12)

There’s one other “stumbling block” that I suspect we are all painfully aware of, although I can’t really find direct scriptural warnings about it. It’s the stumbling block that interferes with another Christian’s worship, fellowship or service. I see this happening in at least three ways, and they all make me sad.
The first “church” stumbling block is the sort of thing … sometimes very petty … that gets in the way of worship. Usually a comment, or a small unkindness (like jumping into a parking space) that just ruffles someone’s feathers and distracts them from worship.
The second “church” stumbling block I see is anything that discourages someone as they are engaged in service. Somehow there are many more critics than supporters, putting stumbling blocks in the way of God’s servants. Whenever I see this I want to take the critic on one side and point them to Romans 14:4: “Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.”
The last of these vicious church stumbling block is that which drives someone — often a new believer, or even a seeker — away from the church. How often has someone been turned away because they “didn’t fit”. God forgive me if I ever make that mistake. I know there are so many places where I don’t fit!
There are so many ways in which we can create stumbling blocks. Be on your guard! Let your watchword be Romans 15:1-2:

We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification.